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Caucasus Environmental NGO Network
(CENN)
83 Electronic Bulletin:
Caucasus Environmental News
Dear Colleagues! Dear Reader (DR)!
Welcome to the September issue of the Caucasus Environmental News
electronic
bulletin prepared by participants of the Caucasus Environmental NGO
Network
(CENN).
You are welcomed to share with us your opinions about the CENN bulletin.
If
you have any comments or questions, we will be happy to consider and
answer.
Thank you in advance for your assistance and cooperation.
CENN
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Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN) and the production of our
electronic bulletin - Caucasus Environmental News have been funded by
the
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
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We are happy to inform you that current number of CENN members
constitutes
of 11,284!
Thanks for your interest in CENN!
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VISIT CENN WEB SITE:
www.cenn.org
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Announcements
Ecology and Economy in Harmony
Georgian Tourist Agency "La-Ta" Tour
Announcement: Explore Georgia with Caucasus Travel
Job, Internship and Study Opportunities
Job Announcements
Ecological Management
News from Georgia
Tourist Boom for Adjara
A Bleak Future for Georgia's Village Forests - Forest Destruction and
Environmental Degradation Around Georgia's Rural Communities
Officials Laud Millennium Challenge Aid Agreement
Georgia Hopes to Receive $600M from International Financial Institutions
Ten Years Left on MDGs, Poverty Still a Concern
MCG Establishes Consultant Committee
World Bank Sets Georgia Strategy for 2006-2009
The Unique Forests of Borjomi are Under the Danger of Extinction
Cracks Revealed in BTC Oil Pipeline
News from Azerbaijan
70 Complaints have been Received on the <Hot Line> of Ministry of
Ecology
and Natural Resources, For Over 5 Months of This Year
Construction of Azerbaijan Part of SCP to be Completed in 2005
BP Social Investment Programme Underway
Health Ministry of Azerbaijan: "There was Never Bacteriological Weapon
in
Azerbaijan"
The Laboratory of Water Quality Control with Modern Equipment
Azerbaijan to Celebrate World Tourism Day
Nature Under Protection
"Shahdeniz" Project Activities Progressing Ahead of Schedule
News from Armenia
IMF: the Armenian Program of Poverty Reduction can Become an Example for
other Countries
Basin of Lake Arpi to Become National Park
Forests in Arzni and Nubarashen Restored
Germany Allocates 2.2 Million EUR to Armenia for Implementation of
Project
"Bio-Diversity and Nature Protection in South Caucasus Region"
Economic Growth and Reduction of Poverty in Armenia?
UNICEF's Partnership with Millennium Challenge Armenian Children's
Vaccination Found Helps Save Children's Lives
Armenia's Sustainable Development Strategy Discussion in Yerevan
OSCE to Support Armenia in Ecology Initiatives
NGO News
Meeting Between the Journalist of Weekly Newspaper "Kviris Palitra" and
Local Population of Bolnisi
Ecologists Care of Well-Being in Bakuriani to Save forests
WWF Continues Leopard Protection Project in Syunik
NGOS Mark Global Day of Action Against Waste and Incineration
International News
Measures of Straggle Against Climatic Changes Will Contribute to the
Reduction of Economic Loss
US Eases Air Pollution Rule to Boost Fuel Supply
EU to Help Tackles Greenhouse Gas Emission
UN Agencies Team up to Promote Eco-friendly, Development-Oriented
Tourism
EU Bio-Fuel Target Incompatible with Biodiversity Targets
Development of the Strategic Approach to the International Regulation of
Chemical Substances Comes to the End
EU to Re-Launch Air Quality Initiative with Changes
National Reports on Ramsar Convention
New Publications
Collection on Environmental Law
Calendar (International)
Seminar on Ecological Services and Financing for the Benefit of
Sustainable
Use and Protection of Ecosystems
Conference on Packaging Waste
SUBSCRIBING INFORMATION
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Ecology and Economy in Harmony
Source: The Messenger, September 26, 2005
We believe we can have a real, measurable and positive impact on the
biodiversity of the world. If you are a non-governmental organization
(NGO)
or an environmental agency who thinks the same way, please read on
Building
on last 3 years' success BP is pleased to announce the fourth Georgia
Biodiversity Competition.
The competition, which is a part of BP's Biodiversity Strategy in
Georgia,
supports our commitment to undertaking a serious of species biodiversity
initiative in the countries and areas where we operate.
This year competition will conduct on 2 categories:
1. Biodiversity projects;
2. Biodiversity article and video materials.
The first category
The cost of the project submitted for the competition should not exceed
$ 20
000.
These projects should:
* Deliver tangible, long-term benefits
* Include sustainability initiatives
* Have identified ways of measuring performance and success
* Be based on sound science
* Be cost effective
We will consider projects with research elements if they also add
practical,
long-term benefits.
Projects can be submitted be one organization or by a group of NGOs.
Please
note that only credible NGOs and organizations can participate in the
Competition.
The document submitted for the competition should include detailed
project
description (objectives, expected outcomes, implementation dates,
detailed
work plan (action, date, responsible people and their CVs) and budget
breakdown.
The second category
The proposed Biodiversity Article and video materials should be:
* Related to Biodiversity published/broadcast in 2004 and 2005
* Be popular for ordinary readers
* Articles should be submitted by an Author or group of authors.
Proposed materials should have no more than 7 000 characters, duration
of
video materials should be 10-20 minutes.
The following prizes are determined for winners:
* First Prize - One Prize ($ 700)
* Second Prize - One Prize ($ 500)
* Third Prize - Two Prizes ($ 300 each)
Submission deadline on both categories is October 28, 2005.
The winner project will be announces in January 2006.
All proposals should be addresses to Communication and External Affairs
Team
at BP Georgia offices.
Address: 38, Saburtalo Str., Tbilisi, Georgia
For additional information please contact Communication and External
Affairs
Team at BP Georgia offices
Tel: (+995 32) 59 34 00
Georgian Tourist Agency "La-Ta" Tour
This is young Georgian tourist agency "La-Ta" Tour, which despite of 6
months existence has established itself on the market as a company
offering
premium service quality. Our main aim is to promote tourism in Georgia
and
show you the "hidden" wealth of our ancient country.
Despite of your busy working schedule, we make it possible for you to
get
out and rest from the chaotic city life.
We offer various trips and tours in the beautiful regions of Georgia,
where
you can experience Georgian world famous hospitality, culture, history,
architecture, traditions and cousin.
With us you have an advantage to create your own tour, choosing
destination,
number of days and your own team.
"La-Ta Tour" also offer you air-tickets, insurance, tours around the
world.
Do not hesitate "To Invest Your Time in Memories Forever!"
Sincerely Yours,
"La-Ta Tour"
25, Vazha-Pshavela Ave.,
Tbilisi, 0160, Georgia
Tel./Fax: 37 95 26
Mob.: 899 56 75 57
899 39 67 67
e-mail: <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]
Announcement: Explore Georgia with Caucasus Travel
Caucasus travel offers various types of travel.
For detailed information about booking please call:
Tel: (995 32) 98 74 00
(995 32) 93 11 75
E-mail. <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]
Or visit us at:
44111 Leselidze Str.,
0105, Tbilisi, Georgia
Tour Coordinator
Keti Aspindzelashvili
JOB, INTERNSHIP AND STUDY OPPORTUNITIES
Job Announcements
The USAID funded Program for Institutional and Regulatory Strengthening
of
Water Management in Armenia started in October 2004 and is being carried
out
by PA Government Services Inc. The anticipated completion date of the
Program is 2008.
The Program is designed to provide assistance to the development of the
National Water Program, the improvement of the legal framework of the
water
sector, and the strengthening of selected agencies with responsibilities
in
water management. Because of broadening and deepening of our activities,
the
following specialists will strengthen our team:
1. Communication/training specialist;
2. Water resources monitoring specialist;
3. Groundwater monitoring specialist;
4. River basin planner/IWRM specialist;
5. Database programmer.
Communication/Training Specialist
Scope of Work
* Coordinate implementation of the Program's communication
strategy;
* Develop informational products to support the Program, such as
website,
newsletter, fact sheet, brochure, etc.;
* Assist counterpart institutions with development and
implementation of public
outreach and communications strategies and action plans, as needed;
* Monitor media coverage and maintain the archive of
water-related
news;
* Coordinate training activities of the Program;
* Design and organize trainings/seminars to strengthen the
capacity
of public affairs managers of counterpart organizations and to raise
awareness of journalists in water-related issues.
Requirements
The specialist should have a university degree in journalism, public
affairs
or comparable field; at least three years of professional experience,
preferably in international projects; excellent interpersonal and
organizational skills; ability to work in a team as well as
independently;
good oral and written communication skills in Armenian and English; and
good
computer skills.
Water Resources Monitoring Specialist (full or part time)
The water resources monitoring specialist will work with a team of
national
and international experts in a program aimed at revitalizing water
resources
monitoring in Armenia.
Scope of Work
* Review existing surface water monitoring programs;
* Develop criteria for renovation of existing monitoring
systems;
* Propose modifications to current monitoring systems;
* Review proposals for modifications to existing monitoring
networks;
* Analyze existing data;
* Participate in design of new monitoring systems;
* Meet and discuss programs with government officials involved
in
water resources monitoring.
Requirements
This specialist should have a university degree in engineering or
comparable
field and at least five years of experience in surface water
measurements
and analyses. Good oral and written communication skills in English
would be
an advantage.
Groundwater Monitoring Specialist (full or part time)
The groundwater monitoring specialist will work with a team of national
and
international experts in a program aimed at re-establishment of
groundwater
monitoring in Armenia.
Scope of Work
* Make inventory of available groundwater data and maps;
* Locate the original "milestone" observation wells;
* Prepare a vision and near term needs for the
re-establishment of groundwater monitoring in Armenia;
* Build groundwater spatial and tabular database in
cooperation with the ongoing program that develops the State Water
Cadastre
Information System;
* Map the main groundwater abstractions and spring
capitations
for drinking water supply;
* Estimate and map the recharge areas of the main drinking
water sources;
* Design groundwater monitoring networks and programs;
* Prepare technical specifications for observation well
construction;
* Provide training in support of the above activities.
Requirements
This specialist should have a university degree in hydrogeology or
comparable field and at least ten years of experience in groundwater
management, groundwater protection and groundwater monitoring. Good oral
and
written communication skills in English would be an advantage.
River Basin Planner/IWRM Specialist
This specialist will work with a team of national and foreign experts in
the
development of integrated water resources management plans for river
basins
and the capacity building for basin development and management.
Scope of Work
* Assist in developing planning programs;
* Prepare inventories of data and information related to water
resources planning;
* Prepare criteria for planning purposes;
* Assess resources, and needs;
* Assist in formulation of plans;
* Assist in the evaluation of plans;
* Work with public participation bodies;
* Work with government agencies in water sector;
* Participate in training programs.
Requirements
This specialist will have a university degree in engineering or
equivalent,
and at least five years of experience in natural resources planning,
economic development planning, water management, or comparable work. The
successful candidate will have to demonstrate good oral English language
skills. Experience with the numerical modeling of river basins would be
an
advantage.
Database Programmer (part time)
The database programmer will work with a team of national and
international
experts in a program aimed at building water recourses databases for the
State Water Cadastre Information System (SWCIF).
Scope of Work
* Assist in designing Access-based databases;
* Design and build database user interface and data
entry
forms;
* Design and construct database reports;
* Design and construct data import and export
utilities;
* Work with government agencies in developing the
SWCIF.
Requirements
The specialist should have a university degree in computer science,
applied
mathematics, or comparable field, and at least 5 years of experience in
Microsoft Access.
How to apply:
Please send CV and covering letter in English, by e-mail or fax by
October
21, 2005
to:
Water Management Program
Attention of: Ms. Ani Chibukhchyan
E-mail: [email protected]
Fax: 58 60 13
ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT
Source: "Eco-consent" September 15, 2005
Next ecological management training session for the experts in
environmental
protection will take place from November 10 to November 28, 2005 in
Galillee
College, Israel.
This time, the program will include training trips to the water
treatment
factory and the monitoring station of atmospheric air quality; also, the
meeting with representatives of the environmental protection ministry of
Israel is planed.
The following main issues will be considered at the courses:
* Various environmental problems: household waste,
air
and water pollution, negative environmental impact on health,
international
agreements on nature protection;
* Solution of ecological problems: technologies and
approaches;
* Household waste: processing, burning, pyrolysis,
fermentation;
* Sewage water treatment: intensive and extensive
technologies;
* Water Resource Management and irrigation;
* Hazardous Waste Management;
* Economy of wildlife management: audit and EIA;
* International Organization of Standardization 14,
etc.
The participants from the countries with transitive economy can be
awarded
with grants.
For the additional information, please apply to:
Citwanyte Chishinsky,
Manager
International Department of Galillee College, Israel
Website: <http://www.galilcol.ac.il/> www.galilcol.ac.il
Email: <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]
NEWS FROM GEORGIA
Tourist Boom for Adjara
Source: The Messenger, September 2, 2005
0ne of the Saakashvili administration's key economic priorities is the
development of tourism in Adjara. The summer season is of special
importance
for this coastal region, as it provides much of the population with the
income they need to subsist on for the entire year.
Many believe that Adjarians were so quick to oppose their local despotic
leader Aslian Abashidze in May of last year because they feared that the
conflict between the latter and the central government might have, along
with other negative consequences, ruined the 2004 tourist season.
This year's resort season will last until October 25, but it can be said
that Adjara has already received the majority of its tourists. The local
and
central governments, as well as leaders in the tourism industry have
declared this season a great success.
In 2004, less than 20,000 people vacationed in Batumi, but this year
that
indicator reached 65,000. In addition to domestic vacationers, the
number of
foreigners visiting Batumi also significantly increased. According to
Tavisupali Gazeti, the main influx of foreign tourists to Adjara came
from
Armenia, Ukraine, Russia, Poland, Germany, Denmark, Norway, the United
States, Turkey and Iran.
The list of countries is impressive, though some of the aforementioned
states, namely those in the West, produced only a small amount of
tourists.
Understandably, while developing strategies to entice foreign
vacationers,
the main accent is placed on neighboring countries
On the initiative of the Adjara Tourism and Resorts Department, a
35-second
promotional clip was produced and aired on Armenian, Azerbaijani and
Ukrainian television. As the head of the department, Temur Zoidze
states,
this commercial played a key role in the attraction of tourists from
abroad.
"This effort yielded many tourists from foreign countries. We have a
program
to target Ukraine and if it is implemented, many more tourists will come
from that country in the future," he said, as quoted by Tavisupali
Gazeti.
A major share of foreign tourists in Adjara this year came from Armenia.
This is due to two basic factors - it is the nearest coastal area to
that
country and, for understandable historical reasons, Armenians do not
feel
comfortable visiting the more prestigious resorts of the Turkish Black
Sea
coast, as the elite of many other regional countries do. In the future,
Adjara will continue its policy of attracting tourists from Armenia and
in
so doing, create new opportunities for cooperation between the countries
It should be pointed out that the president of breakaway Abkhazia,
Sergei
Baghapsh, also attempted to entice tourists from Armenia. During a
mid-August visit to Moscow, he is reported to have held a closed door
meeting with Armenian businessmen where he offered them to become
actively
engaged in investing in the Abkhaz resort business. Though the Sokhumi
authorities categorically deny these reports, the Georgian government
speculates that Baghapsh focused on Armenian businessmen because he knew
that their deeper involvement in the resort industry in Abkhazia would
cause
great irritation in Tbilisi.
A bleak future for Georgia's village forests - Forest destruction and
environmental degradation around Georgia's rural communities
Source: Mike Garforth, September 5, 2005
Anyone who spends most of their time in Tbilisi is accustomed to the
stark,
treeless landscapes around the city, so much so that they may think that
such an environment is normal, even healthy. You have to travel some
distance from the city before forest becomes a significant feature. Take
the
road main road north out of the city towards Kazbegi and only when you
get
beyond the monastery of Dzhvari do you begin to see forest stretching
out in
the distance on either side of the valley of the Aragvi River. Look up
to
Dzhvari and to the hills to the side and behind it and you will see a
once
forested landscape that has been destroyed by unsustainable logging and
uncontrolled grazing. Some of the slopes are showing signs of serious
erosion. This is an inherently unstable landscape. As the trees have
been
cut and the shrubs and herbs eaten away by the cattle, sheep and goats
that
graze here, the soil has been exposed to the water that runs down the
slopes
during rainfall. The soil starts to erode, taken by the rain water into
the
Aragvi River. The soil becomes thinner, the slopes less fertile. The
water
runs more quickly into the river because the vegetation has been thinned
out. The level of the river raises further and more quickly causing
flooding
and the destruction of homes and livelihoods.
Travel further, beyond the point where the main road turns west towards
Kutaisi and on towards the village of Natakhtara. Look at the hillside
to
the north west of the village and you will see a clear line between the
over-grazed lower slopes and the upper slopes where most of the bushes
still
remain, though not the trees. Continue through Misakhtsieli and
Tsitelsopeli
and on both sides of the valley the slopes around every community are
showing the same signs of degradation. This pattern of forest
destruction
and erosion is being repeated around every village in Georgia - hundreds
of
Dzhvari landscapes in the process of being created. The process is slow
enough that you will not see the change from year to year, but if it
continues, large areas of Georgia will become bare, degraded landscape
within a generation.
The village of Chanadirebi lies close to Bazaleti Lake above the town of
Dusheti, which was badly affected by flooding following the prolonged,
heavy
rains in June. Once a thriving community, Chanadirebi like so many rural
communities in Georgia has suffered badly since independence and the
move to
a free-market economy. There is little money circulating in the village
and
most households survive on what they can produce on their land. The
water
supply to the village's central water supply has been cut because the
population cannot afford to pay for the water to be pumped to the well.
Those without their own wells, which is most of the population, have to
spend an hour or more a day collecting water from a spring beyond the
village. Many of the households are without electricity. Their lines
have
been cut because they cannot afford to pay or refuse to pay for
electricity
they have not consumed but for which they are billed under the system of
communal charging. The picture is much the same in the other communities
lying in the Bazaleti basin.
Around Bazaleti and its villages, the forest and agricultural land form
an
attractive landscape. Even the radio station that dominates the skyline
cannot take away from its natural beauty. Thousands of people come to
the
lake every year to picnic and bathe. A new complex is in the final
stages of
construction on the edge of the lake and will bring more visitors, and
hopefully jobs to the communities. This is an immensely valuable
landscape.
>From a distance it appears stable. But look more closely and you will
see
that it is being degraded. The forests are being logged indiscriminately
-
the smaller or poorer quality trees for fuel wood, the larger, better
quality trees for construction. Cattle, sheep, goats and pigs graze
every
part of the forest, eating away the young trees and plants and
preventing
the forest from regenerating. Some of the slopes above the road that
leads
up to Chanadirebi from the Aragvi valley are already eroding and the
stream
sides are still scarred by the erosion that followed the heavy rains
earlier
this year, exacerbated by deforestation.
The future for Bazaleti's village forests and every other village forest
in
Georgia looks bleak. They are being over-used by a rural population that
needs energy for heating and cooking and that takes wood from the forest
because they cannot afford any alternative. Ownership and responsibility
for
taking care of the forests is not clear, so no-one feels responsible and
people simply take what they need.
It doesn't have to be like this. There are many successful examples
around
the world of communities that have been allowed and been shown how to
take
responsibility for forest resources. Often management is more successful
than in forests controlled by government institutions because
communities
feel a closer connection to and greater responsibility for the forest.
What
these examples show us is that communities need four things. They need
security of tenure so they feel assured that the results of their
investment
of time or money will be seen in their communities. They need education,
first to understand the connections between their use of the forest and
survival of the forest and then to learn how to use the forest in a
sustainable way. They need to create an organization that will take care
of
the forest on their behalf. And they need money to get started.
Georgia needs to start now to pilot community management of forests.
Continuing along the present path will result only in more destroyed
forest
and degraded landscapes.
Officials Laud Millennium Challenge Aid Agreement
Source: The Messenger, September 14, 2005
The signing of the Millennium Challenge agreement for USD 295.3 million
in
aid to Georgia underlines the continuing and strengthening relationship
between Georgia and the United States, officials from both countries
said
Monday.
Speaking at the signing ceremony for the new aid agreement, U.S.
Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice said the agreement, the largest so far from
the
new U.S. aid program, "represents America's long-term commitment to
Georgia's future success."
"Our partnership will only continue to grow stronger as Georgia
continues to
establish the rule of law, a vibrant and civil society, an independent
media, a free economy and an accountable, effective institutions of
government at all levels," she said according to a transcript released
by
the Department of State.
President Mikheil Saakashvili echoed the sentiment in his comments. "It
is a
partnership between our two countries; it's a partnership primarily
between
our two peoples and peoples who share the same values, who have the
same
dreams for their children, and to support one another and to believe in
supreme value of liberty and freedom," he said.
Both Rice and Saakashvili were in New York to attend the opening of the
60th
UN General Assembly but used the occasion to mark the signing of the
Millennium Challenge agreement, called a "compact."
The two also praised Georgia's progress under its new government, and
Saakashvili vowed that his administration had eliminated all corruption
that
afflicted previous aid programs.
"Georgia's Rose Revolution and the commitment to political and economic
reform of the Georgian Government and people have transformed what many
people previously thought possible, not only for the people of Georgia
but
for others as well, who are pressing for peaceful democratic change in
their
nations," Secretary Rice enthused.
Saakashvili affirmed "We've fixed the problem with our government
bureaucracy, with corruption." He also said the USD 295 million in aid,
which will be distributed over five years, will be effectively used by
his
administration. "A new accountable government produced with all the
complexities that democracy involves can be by far more efficient than
the
authoritarian, corrupt, kleptocratic regimes that we had previously," he
said. As for the aid itself, U.S. Ambassador to Georgia John Tefft told
journalists in Tbilisi Tuesday that the Millennium Challenge aid "is
based
on the philosophy that assistance is most effective when it reinforces
good
governance, economic freedom and invests in people."
The money will be prioritized for five specific projects: roads in
Samtskhe-Javakheti, the North-South gas pipeline, municipal
infrastructure,
a regional development fund for agricultural and tourism, and
agricultural
development. Planners anticipate the aid will produce direct benefit for
500,000 Georgians. Ambassador Tefft credited the president, the prime
minister and the team of Georgian specialists involved in drafting the
agreement.
The ambassador also stressed that the money comes as a supplement and
not a
substitute to traditional U.S. assistance. "This program will take place
along aside our assistance programs that include the programs of USAID,
the
Department of Defense, State, Justice, Commerce and Treasury. In other
words
this is an addition to the assistance that we are providing and have
been
providing through our traditional programs."
Charles Sethness, the Vice-President of the U.S. government's Millennium
Challenge Corporation which is administering the aid program, lauded
Georgia's planned use of the money for benefiting so many people.
"I think what strikes me most about this Compact, which is focused on
rehabilitating infrastructure and on rural business development, is the
breadth of its impact. The programs outlined in this Compact have the
potential to reach hundreds of thousands of Georgians. And this Compact
has
depth. It will lead to dramatic improvement in many of the lives that it
does touch," he said in New York.
Saakashvili too praised the aid saying it could be the most useful
international assistance his country has received. "I think it's really
one
of the most, I think, by far the most efficient tool of help I'd ever
seen
and I've seen many assistance programs in my country for the last
decade."
GEORGIA HOPES TO RECEIVE $600M FROM INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
Source: Information Agency "Sarke", September 14, 2005
Apart from $295.3 million, the US has disbursed to Georgia under the
Millennium Challenge program the Georgian government hopes to receive up
to
$600 million in loan from international financial institutions.
Both Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli and Finance Minister Aleksi
Aleksishvili
told journalists about talks being held on additional funding with the
institutions in the State Office today.
Ten Years Left on MDGs, Poverty Still a Concern
Source: The Messenger, September 19, 2005
Five years after signing the Millennium Development Goals, Georgia has
accomplished little progress against poverty, the senior UN development
official in Georgia said on Friday.
At a meeting September 16, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
office in Georgia, together with the state ministers for reform
coordination
and conflict resolution launched Global Human Development Report (HDR)
2005,
the focus of which is the private sector and trade, as well as the
relationship between development and conflict.
UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator and UNDP Resident
Representative
Lance Clark said the report "warns the international community that
despite
the successes, many countries may remain behind in terms of the
development
rate. This report is also very important for Georgia."
HE Clark said that the report indicators that in order to achieve
Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs), countries of the world - both developing and
prosperous - should accelerate their efforts. "We are really not able to
meet those goals at this point. In particular the goal of poverty
reduction
is one we are concerned about."
Signed in 2000, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are
international
targets for addressing extreme poverty in its many dimensions: income
poverty, hunger, disease, lack of adequate shelter, and exclusion-while
promoting gender equality, education, and environmental sustainability.
The
target date for achieving the goals is 2015.
"We look at some of the information for Georgia. We do not see much
progress, and perhaps even a little bit of slippage in the last years in
terms of poverty reduction to meet the goal of cutting poverty in half
by
2015," Lance Clark said Friday, "Further action is going to be
necessary."
Clark stated that in general the report shows that there has been some
progress towards the achievement of a number of the goals. Georgia's
Millennium Development progress report will be released this week in
English.
"In the area of the poverty reduction, the picture is somewhat mixed.
Statistically, there has been a small reduction last year in overall
poverty. It looks like that rural poverty, according to the State
Department
of Statistics, has actually increased," HE Clark told the paper.
"The real concern is overall in order to cut poverty in half we need to
see
sizable reduction and that hasn't started yet," he stated, though
acknowledging "The government can argue that its investments in things
like
the payment of pensions, investments in infrastructure, roads and
irrigation
and agriculture systems will pay off." HE Clark also highlighted that
education reforms are another investment that can help achieve the
reduction
of poverty.
The Global Human Development Report 2005 that was presented on Friday
ranks
Georgia together with 176 other countries according, to their Human
Development Index (HDI).
Georgia ranked 100 and is grouped with medium developed countries.
Compared
to the rest of Central and Eastern Europe as well as CIS countries,
Georgia
is below the average, which is 0.802 for the region. The report ranks
Georgia's neighbors Azerbaijan at 101 and Armenia at 83.
The report notes that in HDR 2005, the great majority of the countries
in
the "middle and low" human development category have experienced violent
conflicts since 1990 and that Georgia is one of the
middle-human-development
category countries where the resolutions of the conflicts are critical
for
the human development in the country. Georgia received high marks for
the
level of education and life expectancy. However it's per capita GDP
ranked
low at 121 on the list of countries.
State Minister for Conflict Resolution Goga Khaindrava said that the
main
issue for the discussion was economic rehabilitation and development in
the
conflict resolutions.
"I think that this is one of the main keys to the conflict resolution
because basically, a contributing factor to the resistance that we face
today in the peacekeeping process in both Abkhazia and Tskhinvali is
unemployment, lack of infrastructure, and the helplessness of the people
to
improve their social conditions," he stated.
State Minister for Reform Coordination Kakha Bendukidze also attended
the
briefing.
MCG Establishes Consultant Committee
Source: "24 Saati" (""24 Hours), September 20, 2005
The consultant committee of Millennium Challenges Georgia (MCG) will be
created until the end of month. Committee will be the tool for the
representatives of private sector, non-governmental organizations, local
and
regional government to express and submit their recommendations on the
implementation of MCG projects.
On August 19, 2005 MCG announced the competition for the NGO selection.
The
deadline for submission of the documents was September 16, but due to
the
lack of submitted announcements, the deadline was changed to September
20.
At the end of the September organizations will be selected by committee.
According the foundation press service committee will be composed of
three
governmental, three NGOs and two of business sector representatives,
totally
- of eight members. Among NGOs one will be from Samckhe-Javakheti region
and
another will be named by non-governmental organizations.
"Millennium Challenges Programme" was established by USA president Jorj
Boush. As a part of the Millennium Challenge program Georgia will
receive
3000 million dollars.
World Bank sets Georgia strategy for 2006-2009
Source: The Messenger, September 21, 2005
In Tbilisi on September 18, the government of Georgia and the World Bank
signed a financing agreement for the country's first Poverty Reduction
Support Operation (PRSO) provided for in the new World Bank strategy for
Georgia.
The PRSO is the first of three such operations that the Bank says will
provide budgetary support for the Georgian government's reform program.
As a result of the agreement the Georgian Ministry of Finance will
receive
USD 20 million, USD 13.5 million through a loan and the remaining USD
6.5
through a grant.
"Over the last 18 months, the Government of Georgia has made impressive
progress towards long term stability and sustained growth," World Bank
Acting Country Manager for Georgia, Elene Imnadze said in Tbilisi. She
thinks that the challenge for Georgia now will be "to translate these
early
gains into lasting institutional change" to maintain high rates of
economic
growth and reduce poverty.
According to the World Bank, the PRSO is built on "four reform pillars",
including strengthening public sector transparency, improving proving
electricity and gas sector services, as well as reforming I social
protection, education, and I health care services.
The World Bank states 40 percent cent of the PRSO will be earmarked for
the
general public administration sector, 20 percent for the general energy
sector, 20 percent for health and other social services, and 20 percent
for
the general industry and trade sector.
The PRSO was approved by, the World Bank's Board of Executive Director
in
Washington on September 15. The same day the Bank's board signed off on
the
new Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) for Georgia.
The new strategy covers the years 2006-2009 and envisages assistance to
Georgia of about USD 143 million, including the Current PRSO.
Announcing the approval of the new strategy the bank noted Georgia is
continuing its "bold program" of reforms including reorganization
government, uprooting corruption, and stabilizing the economy.
"The economy is growing, inflation is under control, and increased
Government revenues have enabled it to pay arrears, increase civil
service
salaries, and fund rehabilitation and maintenance of key infrastructure,
including energy", the World Bank states in a release.
However, the Bank notes "the daunting challenges remain." Among the
actions
still to be taken by the government the Bank mentions are social
protection,
and rehabilitation of infrastructure.
"The goal of the new CPS is to support the country's efforts to improve
the
quality of life of its people", said World Bank Country Director for
Georgia
Donna Dowsett Coirolo. "This is why improving social services, fixing
infrastructure, strengthening the public service and fostering a
business
environment that creates new jobs are all key in the Georgia CPS," she
added.
World Bank Executing Director for Georgia Ad Melkert stated in a press
release, "The CPS rightly identifies preventing corruption and improving
governance; reducing constraints in the private sectors; and targeting
social assistance as key areas of support."
Christian Petersen, the Bank's lead economist for the Caucasus said the
series of PRSOs that are foreseen in the2006-09 CPS "will underpin the
reform programs and complement planned investments in infrastructure,
and
the social sectors. In addition, IFC is expected to play a key role in
private sector development."
Earlier last week the World Bank's report Doing Business 2006 named
Georgia
the number I two global reformer. Speaking on Saturday Prime Minister of
Georgia Zurab Noghaideli said "we will do everything to be top in 2007
as
well."
The World Bank aid is the second largest Ion-term aid agreement reached
this
month. On September 12 Georgia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Salome
Zurabishvili and the vice-president of the U.S. Millennium Challenge
Corporation Charles Sethness l signed of a new USD 295.3 million grant
agreement on Monday last week. The funds administered by the Millennium
Challenge Corporation, w;'1 be allocated over the next five-years for
projects on roads, energy, regional infrastructure, agriculture and
enterprise development.
The Unique Forests of Borjomi are under the Danger of Extinction
Source: "Sakartvelos Respublika" ("Georgian Republic"), September 21,
2005
As NGOs declared due the influence of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline in
Borjomi forests the fir-tree groves are withering.
In the fir-tree forests near by the pipeline the vermin from the
lime-eating
beetles' class have multiplied declared in "International Informational
Center of Social Reforms" and "Union of Forest Investigators".
"The situation is so critical that even one wrong action may raise the
number of vermin. Such critical situation is in Sakire-Tdrizi forests.
And
we consider that such situation is directly due to the existence of BTC
pipeline," - declared the "Union of Forest Investigators" representative
Nino Guramishvili.
Cracks revealed in BTC oil pipeline
Source: UPI Energy Correspondent: By Andrea R. Mihailescu, Published
September 21, 2005
One of the most expensive pipeline systems in the world, the $3.6
billion
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, will fill its first tanker in less
than
two months and the pipeline is already showing cracks, but Georgian
officials assert they pose no ecological threat.
"BP does have the problem of coating the surface of the pipeline," said
Zaal
Lomtadze, Georgian deputy minister for natural resources and
environmental
protection. "Unfortunately, we found this out a little later, although
not
from BP."
Experts have been hired to assess the cracks.
"The Georgian authorities have employed international experts who are
acting
as environmental protection and technical advisors and who are
monitoring
the oil pipeline construction process," he added.
International experts hired by the Consolidated Contractors
International
Co., the contractor involved in the engineering and construction of the
project, revealed the Baku-Tbilisi Ceyhan oil pipeline has cracks that
have
appeared on the welded edges of the pipes on the Georgian and Azeri
sections
of the pipeline, which might cause oil to leak from the pipes.
"We found out precisely from them that the company did make some
mistakes in
the process of welding the pipes together," Lomtadze added. "The
existence
of the problem is confirmed and it does not pose any threat."
BP, the lead project operator, maintains the highest quality products
were
used to construct the pipeline.
"We are not interested in any way in putting the pipeline under any
threat,"
Rusudan Medzmariashvili, head of British Petroleum's Public Affairs
Office
in Tbilisi, was quoted by local media. "BP used only the
highest-standard
technologies."
The BP official said the cracks will not cause leaks.
"Our experts explained to us that the number and size of the cracks is
such
that it cannot cause leaks," Medzmariashvili added.
Other firms involved in the project would have known about the cracks.
"Besides, apart from the experts whom we hired, both domestic and
foreign
experts monitored the oil pipeline construction process," he said.
"Countless groups are working, international financial institutions are
also
involved that invested quite significant sums in this project. The oil
pipeline has been built according to international standards and is
absolutely safe."
The report produced showed cracks appearing in 26 percent of the
sections of
the Georgian section of the pipeline.
Rod Hensman, BP's senior project engineer, said in July 2002, territory
in
Georgia and Azerbaijan was being used as a "testing ground for new
materials." He added: "We should not be a testing ground for new
materials."
BP and its contractor are still assessing who should be held responsible
for
the delays in the construction process that were caused by the
appearance of
the cracks.
The Georgian government and BP plan to hold a ceremony on Oct. 12 to
celebrate the completion of the Georgian section of the oil pipeline.
Construction for the remaining Georgian section of the pipeline is
scheduled
for Oct. 12 but BP may not be able to repair the mistakes by then,
according
to Azeri media reports.
On Nov. 15, the first tanker will receive its oil from the
Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli deposits at the seaport town of Ceyhan in Turkey.
The contractor expressed an interest to initiate a legal action against
BP.
<http://www.wpherald.com/storyview.php?StoryID=3D20050921-041047-5793r>
http://www.wpherald.com/storyview.php?StoryID=3D20050921-041047-5793r
NEWS FROM AZERBAIJAN
70 Complaints have been Received on the <Hot Line> of Ministry of
Ecology
and Natural resources, For over 5 Months of This Year
Source: State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, September
3,
2005
70 complaints related with environment damages, infringements of the
ecological legislation have been received on the <hot line> of the
Ministry
of ecology and natural resources, from April to August of this year. As
AzerTaj correspondent learned in the press-service of the Ministry, most
complaints are connected with the cutting in various parts of city,
also,
with environmental contamination with chemical substances and household
waste. Among the applications, the overwhelming majority concerned the
facts
of sand export from the Caspian Coast.
Consequently, the ministry employees carried out the investigation and
the
concrete decisions were made.
CONSTRUCTION OF AZERBAIJANI PART OF SCP TO BE COMPLETED IN 2005
Source: State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, September
4,
2005
The overall South Caucasus Pipeline (SCP) project's Azerbaijani part is
about 70 per cent complete, AzerTAj correspondent told by the BP
press-service.
To date the constructors had strung 398 km of pipe, welded 330 km in
Azerbaijani sector and filled up 310 km, said press-service. They also
completed the Kura West tunnel pullback and the SCP Azerbaijani pipeline
is
scheduled to be completed in the fourth quarter of the current year.
Meanwhile, the Georgian off take is 56 percent complete. There are
strung
225 km of pipe, welded 197 km and backfilled 119 km of pipe.
BP SOCIAL INVESTMENT PROGRAMME UNDERWAY
Source: State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, September
5,
2005
Implementation of a $1mln 736 thousand-social investment programme,
covering
the Baku-Tbilisi Ceyhan Oil pipeline and South Caucasus Gas Pipeline, is
scheduled for 2005, spokesman of BP Azerbaijan said.
To date of the total capital expenditures the project, aimed at solving
of
social problems of the people, living in the pipelines vicinities and
developing of small and medium business, has spent some $1 mln 109
thousand.
HEALTH MINISTRY OF AZERBAIJAN: "THERE WAS NEVER BACTERIOLOGICAL WEAPON
IN
AZERBAIJAN"
Source: State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, September
7,
2005
Health Ministry of the Azerbaijan Republic is rather surprised upon the
information disseminated in mass media on allegedly presentation by
Azerbaijan to the United States of the samples of bacteriological
weapon,
the Ministry's spokesman told AzerTAg.
The Ministry officially states that there has been neither in the soviet
period nor in the independence years bacteriological weapon in
Azerbaijan
and it never will be. The samples sent to the USA, are part of the
scientific researches carried out in the frame of biological safety
program,
which, according to the American experts, are at high level in the
Republic,
the Ministry said.
These samplers are viruses of the especially dangerous infectious
diseases
existing for many years in the territory of Azerbaijan and their
parasites,
as well as copies of the anti-plague microbes received from the
environment
objects, which are to be investigated on the molecular-genetic level.
And
this is to obtain the genetic structure and define peculiarities of the
microorganisms.
This is done for exclusive interests of the country. It allows to timely
defining disease bacteria, to put right diagnosis and organizing
epidemiological control. Besides, it promotes to immediately determine
alien
infections during the bio-terrors.
Azerbaijan cooperates with the United States in combat against
terrorism,
including biological terrorism, and thus, demonstrates its adherence to
the
democratic values and principles, the Ministry states.
THE LABORATORY OF WATER QUALITY CONTROL with MODERN EQUIPMENT
Source: State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan >,
September,
12, 2005
The ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, within the framework
of
monitoring programs on studying water in the transboundary rivers, has
equipped the laboratory of water quality control recently opened in
Gazah
with modern equipment. As the AzerTaj correspondent learned in the
press-service of the ministry, the main activity of the first regional
level
laboratory, will be estimation of the water quality, the level of
chemical
contents in waters of Kura, Araks, Aghstafa, Gabyrry and others
transboundary rivers, flowing from the territory of Georgia and Armenia,
also contamination of air and soil. The results of the laboratory survey
will inform the international public who is engaged in deliberate
dumping of
various chemicals in these rivers.
Three times a day, the water parameters will be checked and the results
will
be sent to the Ministry of Health, joint-stock company "Azersu", to
water
consumers, various state bodies, representatives of international
organizations, and also to the adjacent countries.
In unveiling ceremony of the laboratory participated Minister of
Environment
and Natural Resources Husseingulu Bagirov, chief of executive government
of
Gazah District Rauf Husseynov and the representatives of press.
The ministry also informed that the activation the of similar
laboratories
is expected in the nearest future, in a number of boundary districts, in
Nahchyvan Autonomous Republic and in Beylyagan district.
AZERBAIJAN TO CELEBRATE WORLD TOURISM DAY
Source: State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, September
13,
2005
Within the frameworks of the World Tourism Day, an exhibition dealing
with
domestic tourism will be held in Baku October 1. Over 50 travel agencies
and
hotel owners will take part in the exhibition to be held at the Baku
Business Center, AzerTAg correspondent was told at the tourism
department of
the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Tourism.
In accordance with the World Tourism Organization's decision, World
Tourism
Day will be solemnly marked in Cyprus. Azerbaijani delegation led by
Minister Abulfaz Garayev will also attend the festivities.
NATURE UNDER PROTECTION
Source: Newspaper "Mirror", September 23, 2005
It's with this purpose; foundation will be created on Southern Caucasus
Journalist L. Malahova informs about this in the "Mirror" newspaper.
Many
countries of the world now face the environment conservation problem.
With
the purpose of overcoming global problems, various international
organizations are being established. One of them is the World Wildlife
Foundation (WWF), established in 1961. Its logo is panda, because the
founders of WWF believed the image of this good-natured animal requiring
protection will be a fine symbol of the international organization the
mission of which is to stop the growing environment degradation, to
achieve
the harmony between human and nature.
WWF operates in many countries of the world, but special attention is
devoted to the developing countries and the countries with transitive
economy. The matter is that ecosystems, especially important for the
preservation of ecological balance on the Earth, are especially
vulnerable
in these states. The basic strategy of WWF is the consolidation of the
efforts of business, the third sector and local communities for the
joint
solution of environmental problems. WWF priorities is the preservation
of
extincting animals species, and the conservation of the habitats in
ecological regions. Besides, many WWF programs are to protect forests,
to
reduce negative ecological effect from illegal cutting, pollution,
climate
changes, forest fires, and etc.
WWF is financed through donations from private persons and corporations,
grants from governmental bodies and private funds. WWF Network consists
of
two International Offices in Switzerland and USA, and also from the
national
offices located in 27 countries. Offices in industrially developed
countries
are engaged in strategic planning and coordination of projects to be
implemented in developing countries and the countries with transitive
economy.
Initiatives and independence of national offices if they do not
contradict
the basic WWF strategy are appreciated. The work in the countries should
be
carried out in conformity with the specific aspects of local ecological
situation.
Our country could not avoid environmental problems; many reserves and
national parks of Azerbaijan require protection. It is clear that our
republic cannot cope with the current problems alone, Support of such
international organization as WWF, in this case, is hardly to be
overestimated.
Yesterday, took place the presentation of the project on International
Trust
Foundation establishment on the territory of the Southern Caucasus'
states,
including Azerbaijan. Taleh Shamchiyev, Director of WWF Cau PO -
Azerbaijan,
Elshad Askerov, his Assistant, and representatives of some national
nongovernmental organizations, and also mass-media participated in the
action.
Let us mention that on June 16, 2004 the meeting was held between
international organizations experts, such, as OSCE and the United
Nations
with representatives of some ministries and departments of Azerbaijan.
At
the meeting was discussed the issues of the establishment of ITF for the
long-term financial support of environmental priorities on Southern
Caucasus.
Yesterday, conversation was about the implementation of this project.
According to Mr. Shamchieva, the main principles of ITF will be
transparency
and objectivity. As he said, today there is the necessity of financial
support of the environment protection in our country, as the means are
allocated only for national parks and reserves of Azerbaijan. However,
also
these means are not sufficient, as they cover only 16-17% of the
necessary
amount.
"For the normal functioning of reserves, Azerbaijan requires annual
1,637
thousand US dollars. However, only 274 thousand dollars from the budget
are
allocated. There are 3 kinds of TFs working in 40 countries of the
world.
Basically, they exist due to the help of donors. First type of Trust
Foundation is functioning due to the accruals from bank deposit. In this
case, only dividends are spent for territory protection. Second variant
of
foundation spends sum allocated by donors not at once but in parts.
Third
type of Trust Foundation exists due to taxes. For example, each
passenger
who arrived in one of South American countries, which exists on the
expense
of tourism, should pay the tax at the rate of eight dollars. Over a
year,
this amount goes up to some millions dollars to be then spent for
environment protection. In Azerbaijan, it's currently impossible to
establish similar type of TF, Mr. Shamchiev commented.
In his words, the establishment of national TF in Azerbaijan is not
planned
for the nearest future. Mr. Shamchiev emphasized that there had been
many TF
variants discussed, and the developers eventually chose the one that
seems
most comprehensible for Transcaucasia. According to it, the general TF,
common for all of the three republics of Transcaucasia will be
established,
with technical office in Tbilisi. Its Board of Directors will be placed
outside the territory of Southern Caucasus; it will include one
representative of each of the donor organizations, WWF, EBRD, KFWf of
Germany, Conservation International, and two more donors. This Council
will
decide on what money spent will be, while the Ministry of ecology and
natural resources and various NGOs will be giving advices on this issue.
Mr. Shamchiev assured the audience that all means to come into ITF, will
be
spent only for the needs of protected territories. Besides, as he said,
these means will have nothing to do with the means allocated from State
budget for these purposes.
E.Askerov noted, in his turn that after the ITF is established, the
investment of base capitals is necessary. Norwegian Government is
expected
to get possibly involved. In three states of Southern Caucasus, for the
protection of fifty priority zones, about 2 million dollars a year are
necessary. According to Mr. Askerova, the final legal side of the ITF
requires three or four months more.
"SHAHDENIZ" PROJECT ACTIVITIES PROGRESSING AHEAD OF SCHEDULE
Source: State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, September
26,
2005
The construction works for the "Shahdeniz" project are 55 percent
complete.
The works are progressing 6 percent ahead of schedule.
With four production wells drilled in the field one more test hole is to
be
drilled. The platform will include 1 jacket and 12 wells. The
construction
of the "Shahdeniz" part of the Sangachal terminal is timetabled to
complete
in September 2006. The mechanical works are to be completed in the first
quarter of this year. Then, work plan will shift to testing "Shahdeniz"
gas
facilities.
The reserves in the "Shahdeniz" are estimated at 1 trillion cubic meters
of
gas and 200 million tons of condensate. The first gas will be delivered
to
the world markets by the end of the year.
NEWS FROM ARMENIA
IMF: the Armenian program of poverty reduction can become an example for
other countries
Source: йA Regnum, September 5, 2005
September, 5, President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan received Head of the
Yerevan Office of IMF Hassan Al trash.
As IA Regnum learned in the press-service of the Head of Armenia, the
parties had discussed the cooperation issues and economic reforms. In
particular, Robert Kocharyan noted that Armenia is consistently
realizing
reforms, and the work had already yielded some essential results.
In his turn, Hassan Al Atrash appreciated the process of the reforms and
their results, having noted that this estimates will be listed in the
report
on Armenia. As he said, the poverty reduction program may become an
example
for other countries. Hassan Al Atrash also appreciated the work in the
sphere of the regulation of budgetary processes and credit policy,
carried
out by the country.
Basin of Lake Arpi to Become National Park
Source: ARMENPRESS, September 7, 2005
The basin of Lake Arpi and Akhurian River, situated in the Ashotzk
mountains, close to the borders with Turkey and Georgia, approximately
110
km northwest of the city of Yerevan, in northwestern Armenia will be
turned
into a national park.
Financial aid is expected from Germany to launch the first phase of this
program that was supposed to kick off three years ago, but was delayed
due
to lack of money. The project will be started next year with support to
come
from the government.
Lake Arpi is a natural wetland of botanical importance, although the
water
level has been raised by an artificial dam. It supports several plant
species which are rare in Armenia. The lake is fed by several small
rivers,
springs and melt-water, and freezes over during the winter months.
FORESTS IN ARZNI AND NUBARASHEN RESTORED
Source: ARMINFO, September 7, 2005
The Forests Restoration and Development Fund of Armenian jointly with
the
Armenian Agricultural Ministry has elaborated two programs on
restoration of
forests in Arzni and Nubarashen. Executive Director of FRDF Vladimir
Movsisyan made this statement at a discussion at the Armenian Government
today.
He said design and calculation documents on restoration of forests in
the
given zones have already been prepared. Thus, restoration of the forests
in
Arzni will require 171 million 48 thousand AMD, those in Nubarashen - 92
million 593 thousand AMD. Movsisyan said construction of a pumping
stations,
power substations and electric lines is over. He said the fund has
fulfilled
all the programs planned for the first half of 2005 on the whole.
Movsisyan
said forests are restored mainly on the charitable funds. Thus, Yerevan
Brandy Company finances a program on restoration of forests in the
community
of Jrambar, Aragatsotn region. The program'' implementation will require
8
million 850 thousand AMD, Movsisyan said. Besides, he said in the first
half
of 2005, the fund received a 17 million 760 thousand AMD financial
charitable assistance. He said expenses for the fund's staff have been
considerably reduced, that is 7 million 574 thousand AMD instead of the
planed 13 million 728 thousand AMD. Executive Director said the fund
provided 5 million AMD to the "Green Country" organization for
beautification of the territories nearing highways.
In his turn, Vice mayor of Yerevan Kamo Areyan said as of September 5
2005,
the proceeds from the auction sale of the funds of Nork forests were 857
million 677.5 thousand AMD. 171 million 400 thousand AMD of the sum were
transferred to the Ministry of Agriculture for financing of programs of
restoration of forests.
Germany Allocates 2.2 Million EUR to Armenia for Implementation of
Project
"Bio-Diversity and Nature Protection in South Caucasus Region"
Source: ARMINFO, September 9, 2005
German Government has approved 2.2 million EUR to Armenia for
implementation
of a program "Bio-diversity in the South-West of Armenia" and
"Protection of
bio-diversity in Javakheti through transboundary cooperation."
A relevant agreement was signed today by Ministry of Nature Protection
of
Armenia Vardan Ayvazyan and Representative of German KfW bank in Armenia
Karapet Gevorgyan. The programs are designed for 30-50 years under a
regional project "Protection of bio-diversity and nature in the South
Caucasus region." Minister Aycazyan said the programs aim prevention of
conflict situations at transboundary Armenian-Georgian territories and
planning of joint measures on protection of environment in Javakhk
plateau.
Under the projects, a National Park Arpi will be developed which will
embrace Lake Arpi with its drained basin, brooks and water reservoirs
near
the villages of Ardenis, Akhuryan, and those near Stepanavan-Tashir
highway.
The park will occupy a territory of 74 ha and will be divided into three
protected zones: reserved territories, on protection of ecological
system
and on stable development of the park's territories.
The territory of the park Arpi is bordering Georgia and Turkey and
located
not far from large populated areas in Armenia. Local residents having
mass
social and economic problems will be attracted to implementation of the
project of National Park. Some 70 jobs will be opened for local
residents
there, the minister said. Under the projects, scientific research will
be
carried out for possible creation of reserved territories in waterlogged
areas to protect water- marsh flora and fauna.
KfW Representative said the regional program was provided to the
Georgian
Azerbaijani parties as well, however Azerbaijan has not considered it so
far; and in Georgia the government has recently approved the project
"Protection of bio-diversity and nature in the South Caucasus region."
Factually, implementation of the given ecological program for the South
Caucasus has started in Armenia, Gevorgyan said. He added that one of
the
most important details of the project is solution to social problems of
the
population in bordering regions, taking into account the conflict
between
Armenia and Azerbaijan. "Each time when CE member-states propose joint
programs to the South Caucasian three, political motives hinder their
implementation. However, the given program is necessary as nature has no
borders and it must be protected without any political conditional
characters," Gevorgyan said. The project office will be in Tbilisi for
three
years then the head office will be moved to the country that will show
the
most successful and effective implementation of the project. 0.3 million
EUR
is allocated to each country for project coordination under control of
KfW.
It should be noted that since 1993 the German Government has allocated
Armenia some 127 million EUR through the German bank KfW under various
programs in the sphere of energy, finances, water supply and ecology.
100
million EUR of the above sum were credits and the remaining were grants.
Economic Growth and Reduction of Poverty in Armenia?
Source: Ein News, September 9, 2005
According to the 2005 report about Human development, Armenia occupies
the
83rd place among the 177 countries in the world. The calculations of the
report have been made on the ground of the 2003 statistic facts and in
three
directions: education, life length and Gross output.
"Armenia has improved the index of the gross output to one person, the
education index is the same, and the health index has been corrected and
reduced a little", the report says.
Today in the Yerevan UN office the RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan
mentioned proudly that in comparison to our neighbors, Armenia has the
highest index, and in the CIS countries it takes the 5th place leaving
forward only Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan.
According to the Foreign Minister, One of the important preconditions of
development is that democracy must be an end in itself. Mr. Oskanyan was
not
able to explain clearly why the poverty index is not reduced alongside
with
the economic growth. <There are numerous reasons>, said the Minister.
The UN Permanent Coordinator to Armenia Consuelo Vidal reminded that in
2000
heads of 191 countries, including Armenia, signed the Millennium
Declaration
and took up the commitment to reach 8 aims till 2005 - poverty
reduction,
combat against illnesses and child deaths, environmental stability,
educational provision, as well as global cooperation.
According to Mrs. Vidal, the cooperation can be realized in three
directions: international aid, international commerce and security. In
answer to the journalists' question Consuelo Vidal mentioned that within
the
framework of the report Armenia cannot find the answers to his questions
about the international commerce field.
UNICEF's PARTNERSHIP WITH MILLENNIUM ARMENIAN CHILDREN'S VACCINATION
FUND
HELPS SAVE CHILDREN'S LIVES
Source: ARMENPRESS, September 19, 2005
Partnering with Armenian Diaspora organizations such as the Millennium
Armenian Children's Vaccination Fund (MACVF) is crucial for successful
implementation of programs benefiting children, UNICEF said today,
speaking
of the importance of the vaccination program in Armenia.
UNICEF values highly its partners in the Diaspora, and one of our most
important partnerships in Armenia is with the Millennium Armenian
Children's
Vaccination Fund. Financial support to UNICEF from MACVF has enabled us
to
procure essential vaccines for Armenian children and has helped to
sustain
the high immunization rate in the country," UNICEF Representative,
Sheldon
Yett noted.
UNICEF and the Millennium Armenian Children's Vaccination Fund sealed a
long-term partnership agreement in 2002 in order to support the
implementation of the National Immunization Program in Armenia. The
agreement covers the 2002-2009 period during which the Millennium
Armenian
Children's Vaccination Fund pledged to provide 500,000 USD for
procurement
of vaccines to prevent such deadly childhood diseases as measles, mumps,
rubella, tetanus and diphtheria.
MACVF has contributed over 100,000 USD to UNICEF to date. In 2005 alone,
MACVF funding has enabled the immunization of approximately 100,000
children
in Armenia against measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus and diphtheria. The
assistance provided by MACVF to children in Armenia is invaluable and
has
helped protect thousands of children from serious illness. Not only do
these
children benefit directly from the vaccinations, but immunization also
provides a mechanism through which health services can make contact with
children and women whom they need to reach with other interventions,
further
enhancing the value of immunizations.
"We will continue to strengthen our relationships with Armenian Diaspora
organizations and will seek their active involvement in the
implementation
of programs that contribute to the achievement of the Millennium
Development
Goals," UNICEF Representative Sheldon Yett stressed.
ARMENIA'S SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY DISCUSSED IN YEREVAN
Source: Pan Armenian News, September 20, 2005
Growth of Productivity and Competitive Ability: Strategy of Sustainable
Development of Armenia forum, organized by Armenia 2020, opened in
Yerevan
today. During the opening ceremony Armenian President's Advisor for
Economic
Issues Vahram Nersisyan read R. Kocharian's message to the forum
participants. His message specifically said, <Initiatives of the kind
are
useful to our country. We appreciate efforts of organizers, directors
and
project participants. Sustainable development of Armenia is our goal> NA
Speaker A. Baghdassaryan welcomed the forum participants on behalf of
the
Parliament. He noted that <strategic elaboration is available in all
fields
in Armenia> He noted light industry among the promising fields, adding
<a
business plan should be arranged to define the priority fields> It
should be
noted that the forum will discuss opportunities and prospects of
development
of individual sectors, specifically, IT, tourism, health and others.
Besides, the outcomes of the Approaches to the Future of Armenia
research,
held by Armenian and American sociologists will be analyzed. Program of
further actions is expected to be worked out resulting from the forum.
Over
350 Armenian and foreign large entrepreneurs, officials and NGO
representatives take part in the forum.
OSCE TO SUPPORT ARMENIA IN ECOLOGY INITIATIVES
Source: ARMINFO News Agency, September 23, 2005
"We and our Planet" educational and environmental program was presented
today at the Yerevan Museum of Armenia's Nature. The program has been
initiated and implemented by "Khazer" environmental and cultural NGO
with
the support of the OSCE Office in Yerevan and the Aarhus Center.
Within the project 10 brochures and 5 posters have been published in
2004 on
the following topics: the first betrayal against nature, climate change,
preservation of ozone layer, forest, water, biodiversity, persistent
organic
pollutants, fish and birds of Armenia, Lake Sevan problem, and
genetically
modified organisms. This year the publications were enriched by 6 new
posters and 4 brochures: our environment and the Aarhus Convention
specially
protected natural areas, earthquake protection, and alternative energy.
Head of "Khazer" NGO Amalia Hambartsumyan noted that the program has
been
implemented from 2003, 100 copies of 11 posters and 14 brochures have
been
published within this period 400 schools of general education have
already
received completes. The OSCE Office in Yerevan allotted $4.000 for
publishing the second completes, she noted.
Welcoming the activists of Armenia's ecological movement, Head of the
OSCE
Office in Yerevan Vladimir Pryakhin named the program the "family
holiday".
He stressed that "titanic efforts of ecological society do not go out in
Armenia until the people of this country live in harmony with nature".
Pryakhin also noted that the OSCE welcomes the ecological initiatives in
Armenia and will continue supporting them.
NGO NEWS
Meeting between the Journalist of Weekly Newspaper "Kviris Palitra"and
Local
Population of Bolnisi
On August 29, 2005 in Public Informational Center of Bolnisi the meeting
was
held between the journalist of the weekly newspaper "Kviris Palitra",
Zviad
Chakvetadze and citizens of Bolnisi. The meeting also attended
representatives of local NGOs, of various services, departments and
correspondent of the newspaper "Akhali Verisa" ("New Version").
In the republican and local newspapers articles, also in the TV programs
-
on "Rustavi -2" and "Imedi" ("Hope") was mentioned that Madneuli
pollutes
the river Mashavera and results are already detrimental. There is no
life in
the river.
Basing on the investigation that Mr. Z. Chakvetadeze had conducted and
on
the results of the laboratory survey of river Mashavera done by
hydrochemical laboratory of Hydrometeorological Department, Mr. Z.
Chakvetadeze confirms that water in the river is not polluted even is
good
for drinking and is not dangerous for health.
The aim of organized meeting was to rebut this article. To see the real
condition all the participant of this meeting visited the most polluted
area
and they convinced that the river is really polluted and that situation
is
detrimental.
In the conversation the inhabitants of the village Kazreti confirmed
that
Madneuli pollutes the river Mashavera and the results of the pollution
have
influence on the health of the population as well as on the local flora
and
fauna.
The journalists took interview from the local inhabitants and in the
nearest
future the articles on this theme will be issued.
Prepared by CENN
Public Informational Center of Bolnisi
Ecologists Care of Well-Being in Bakuriani To SAVE forests
Source: Newspapers "Caucasian Accent", September 1, 2005
Association of Hotels that is being established in Bakuriani, with the
assistance of environmental organization - Caucasus Environmental NGO
Network (CENN), may attract tourists, establish workplaces and save
forests
from mass illegal cutting.
- When we opened regional office in Bakuriani, our main purpose was to
give
the Internet access to Bakuriani residents, - says Kakha Bakhtadze,
Regional
Office Coordinator of non-governmental environmental organization CENN.
-
Then we, naturally, became interested of the environment problems, first
of
all, illegal deforestation.
It is obvious that simply indirections, without any attempt to changes
social background, without raising life standard of Bakuriani
inhabitants,
cutting will not be stopped. Then environmentalists from CENN seriously
contemplate what was exactly necessary to do? Evidently, once Bakuriani
is a
resort, it is necessary toattract tourists. But who should be engaged in
and
accountable for such activities in Bakuriani? Those who benefit from
these
activities, i.e. owners of numerous hotels. There are over hundred inns,
guest-houses and hotels in Bakuriani, all waiting a tourist boom; this
number is also constantly updated. Meanwhile, all of the owners operate
in
an isolated manner. Ping-pong tables or swimming pools, or some other
entertainments, once appeared in one hotel, are then gradually
copy-pasted
to all the other. The same picture everywhere. After all, it becomes
more
and more difficult for the tourists to select where to stay, when
practically there is no choice.
- With the help of our European colleagues we brought here a hotel
business
expert from German, - says Kakha Bakhtadze. - He arrived in Bakuriani,
performed the audit of the institutions and conducted some trainings for
inn-keepers, presented to them his recommendations on business
development.
Eventually, it was decided to establish Association of Bakuriani Hotels.
Only by the unification of their services inn-keepers will be able to
develop their business, to assist each other, to promote the prosperity
in
Bakuriani, to resolve numerous important problems, to attract tourists,
etc.
Meanwhile, they try to solve these problems alone and it id obvious that
there is no significant results.
One of priorities is to attract tourists from Armenia and Azerbaijan. I
am
confident that they won't say no to Bakuriani, either: this place is
unique,
for here it is possible to rest in any season.
As far as the attraction of tourists certainly contributes to the
improvement of social background, - says Kakha Bakhtadze, - we have
decided
to establish a tourist information center in Bakuriani. It will help
tourists to orientate themselves on-site.
At the same time the diversification of services is essential. For
example,
some hotels will be oriented on youth tourist and will offer all
respective
types of service and attributes, some will be family hotels, and so on.
By
the way, CENN Regional Office has recently published the Tourist Map of
Bakuriani showing basic hotels. It will sure assist tourists.
- It is should be mentioned that our organization does not intend at all
to
have a quota in hotel business, - marks Kakha Bakhtadze. - We only wish
to
support its development, since we are sure, that only serious
improvement of
the general social background can be the basis for environmental
protection.
So if a person works and earns enough, he or she will not get involved
in
cutting any more: having money enough, why one will cut and than sell
wood
or simply burn it in the oven? It will be much more favorable to
dedicate
this time to work.
CENN is sure that the Association will contribute not only the
development
this sort of business, establishment of new types of services,
attraction of
tourists, solve a number of actual problems, but also it will create a
number of work places.
Valiko Adamashvili, Gamgebeli of Bakuriani thinks that the establishment
of
Association of Bakuriani Hotels can really promote the growth of the
resort
and of the entire tourist infrastructure.
- Certainly, Gamgeoba and Association should tightly co-operate, to be
much
more effective - he says. - Especially now, when Gamgeoba have received
much
more rights and opportunities for real self-management, than it was
earlier,
before the revolution.
Besides, Valiko Adamashvili informed us about his plans on resort
development. In particular, Gamgeoba plans to establish sports school,
to
rehabilitate and reopen House of Culture, cinema. We are going to
deprive
many tenants of the land, in case they do not use them, use
inefficiently or
even illegally. Also, the waste management is a tangible problem in
Bakuriani, because of the absence of garbage bunkers, while a few of
existing bunkers are over flown. The urban water pipe requires serious
repair and upgrade.
A lot of the Bakuriani development plans are related to private
business.
So, one of the European companies is interested in the establishment of
big
and serious golf-club in Bakuriani where all conditions are available
for
this purpose. There are also mountain skiing development projects. There
are
a number of other proposals and prospects. It is enough to name the
proposal
to conduct winter Olympic Games Bakuriani-2014. But for this, still a
lot of
things have to be done.
As regards for cutting, Gamgebeli considers that only licensed entities
are
involved in this process. Certainly, it is hard to believe it, but
Valiko
Adamashvili adds, there is both legal and illegal felling in the area:
Those
some thousand cubic meter of timber on which felling licenses are
issued,
should be cut down. It is normal. But mainly trees are cut along the
roads,
including those should not be cut and that is not normal. In mountain
forests there are many trees which should be cut down, but they are
accessible for a very few people.
This is right: cut a little here and a little there, instead of making
enormous glades glades "decorated" with stubs. But it is no secret that
a
lot of unlicensed wood is also taken out from Bakuriani. For money
Bakuriani
residents destroy things after which all tourists come to Bakuriani.
Another problem is the Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline. The construction works
no
way promote the attraction of tourists. Certainly, will never compensate
their absence. Not mentioning even ecological aspects, it's enough to
imagine a small town over flown with heavy machinery, lorries and all
sorts
of special equipment. Besides, these cars destroy the roads, while it
requires the repair.
- We have brought upon this question and hope BP to finance the road
rehabilitation in Bakuriani, - Valiko Adamashvili stated.
It have been very recently that the special troops established for the
pipeline protection, held trainings on the unique sports stadium in
Bakuriani where children commonly play. The training - while the holiday
season!
- It was like turning back to the early 1990-ies, when "Mkhedrioni"
members
were up to senseless shooting in Bakuriani, and we were hiding in out
houses, - says Nana, inhabitant of Bakuriani,. - After all, it was
possible
to choose a better place than stadium to practice shooting.
Bakuriani residents are still waiting BP financing for some social
problem
solutions. But petrodollars can hardly become panacea.
However, the biggest problem in Bakuriani was not so much the shooting
at a
stadium, but rather the absence of electric power supply for several
months.
American power distribution company is active in Bakuriani over the
recent
year. Obviously, for this very reason they decided to squeeze out
everyone
from the area, using every ways and manners. First, they collected money
for
the electric power, in a very simple way - 10 GEL per family. After,
problems began. The communal electric meter had been installed, then the
tariff increased, and, eventually, the entire town was switched-off,
referring on the debt of Bakuriani equal to 100,000 GEL. At the same
time
all the employments in company regional office were changed and it
appeared
impossible to negotiate with them. Gamgeoba suggested to install
independent
meters. Representatives of the company declared they will simply never
take
into account these meters. Moreover, they added there would be no
electricity, until the debts are not completely covered. They started to
collect money. Some people gave 10 lari, some - 200 lari, and some -
1000.
As a result, they managed to collect about 40 thousand GEL, but ther is
still no electricity.
- They did not want to make any concessions, - Valiko Adamashvili says.
-
They only demanded the money for some unknown debts.
At last, the company agreed to give electricity. But in case of a
hundred-percent payment for the consumed electricity. Representatives of
the
company promised to switch-off the lights even if ten tetri is missing.
This
is, of cource, a verbal arrangement that do not contribute the salvation
of
problem. Hopes for the government, company's head office and important
persons were found fruitless. So to say, the drowning people had to
rescue
themselves.
- We should not repay only on gamgeoba, on foreigners or on our
government,
- Bakuriani residents believe. - There is a lot of problems we should
solve
by ourselves, all together.
It's left to hope that the establishment of Association of Hotels can
really
make some positive changes to general picture. Maybe, it will become a
symbol of the beginning of long-awaited changes to the best.
WWF Continues Leopard Protection Project in Syunik
Source: ARMENPRESS, September 5, 2005
Traces of three out of 10-12 leopards believed to live in Armenian
forests
are recorded in the southern province of Syunik. The total number of
leopards in the South Caucasus is 20-24, with another 10-12 in
Azerbaijan.
The number of leopards in Karabakh is estimated as 5-7 leopards
according to
the data provided by hunters.
Another habitat of the leopard in Armenia is Khosrov Reserve located in
the
central part of Armenia. This is a small territory and traces of leopard
viability are the evidence for the extinction of this group, but still
being
remained at the expense of high number of bezoar goat (Capra Aegagrus)
in
some of the gorges and relatively lower presence of man in the
mountains.
The leopard is included in the Red Data Book of Rare and Endangered
Species
(Red Book) in all countries of this region and in the UNEP-WCMC Database
on
Threatened Animals of the World.
It has been three years since the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) started a
special project for protection of leopards in Armenia. The leopard was
thought to have disappeared from the region in the 1960s, but absence of
special surveys until the end of 20th century did not allow to exactly
evaluate the leopard condition in the Ecoregion.
Recent rapid investigation conducted through WWF initial support in 2001
has
shown that about 20 individuals of leopard has survived in the Southern
Caucasus Nevertheless, situation with the leopard population in the
Caucasus
is critical, which is caused by the continuation of over hunting of
ungulates (bezoar goat, roe deer, wild boar, etc.) - primary prey
species,
and poaching of the leopard itself. The long-term goal of this project
is
conservation of the Caucasus leopard in its historical range in the
Ecoregion. As a result valuable leopard habitat and protected migratory
routes were set up.
NGOS MARK GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION AGAINST WASTE AND INCINERATION
Source: IISD Reporting Services, September 9, 2005
A group of NGOs has organized a week of awareness-raising activities on
waste issues. The network challenges governments to adopt and implement
policies that will prevent waste at source, reduce and eliminate toxics,
extend producer responsibility, promote sustainable consumption, and
intensify recycling and composting. The focus of the week's activities
was a
"Global Day of Action" against waste and incineration on 7 September
2005.
The international campaign, now in its fourth year, is coordinated by
the
Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (also known as the Global
Anti-Incinerator Alliance) or GAIA, a non-profit network of public
interest
groups and individuals.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
MEASURES OF STRUGGLE AGAINST CLIMATIC CHANGES WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE
REDUCTION OF ECONOMIC Loss
Source: "Eco-consent": Power and Climate News, September 1, 2005
14 500 natural accidents were globally registered from 1980 to 2004; as
a
result, one million persons were lost, and the subsequent economic
damage
totaled 1,450 billion Dollars. 25 % of damage falls on flooding, 22, 8 %
-
on earthquakes. As experts emphasized, as a result of climatic change
natural accidents have become not only more frequent, but also more
intensive. In the nearest future, as experts predict, especially great
losses natural cataclysms will bring to developing countries. As for
Europe,
they predicted strongest heat, floods, and also storms and hurricanes.
It is marked in the report of German Institute for Economic Studies that
if
the world community undertakes rapid and effective measures to combat
climatic changes, it will become possible to avoid the losses of 200,000
billion Dollars as economic damage from hurricanes, floods, droughts and
other natural cataclysms, before 2050.
Scientists consider necessary to carry out more active climate
protection
policy. Expenses for similar measures, according the calculations of the
Institute's economists, should total about one percent of the world
total
national product. It is necessary to essentially increase power
efficiency,
by mid-century and to lower emissions of carbon dioxide into the
atmosphere.
For this purpose, in the opinion of German scientists, it is necessary
to
use also such market tools as international emission trade or to
introduce
the uniform tax, at a rate of up to 100 Dollars per one ton of carbon.
US Eases Air Pollution Rule to Boost Fuel Supply
Source: Planet ark, September 1, 2005
Washington - To make more fuel available in the wake of Hurricane
Katrina,
the Bush administration said on Wednesday it will waive certain air
pollution regulations for gasoline and diesel in all 50 states.
The temporary easing of regulations will end on Sept. 15, said Stephen
Johnson, head of the Environmental Protection Agency.
"This action will result in an immediate increase in fuel supply. These
waivers are necessary to ensure that fuel is available throughout the
country," Johnson told reporters.
The waivers will allow gasoline with higher evaporation rates and diesel
fuel with a higher sulfur content to be sold.
Gasoline futures traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange rose sharply
on
Wednesday to a record high of $2.90 a gallon on growing concerns about
the
US supply.
Katrina's powerful winds and flooding shut nine Gulf Coast refineries
with
combined capacity of nearly 2 million barrels per day (bpd). Four others
were running at reduced rates and two major Gulf Coast pipelines that
ship
gasoline to northern markets were closed.
The EPA late on Tuesday said it would temporarily permit refineries in
Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee to supply gasoline meeting a
Reid Vapor Pressure standard of 9.0 and diesel with sulfur content
higher
than 500 parts per million.
On Wednesday, the waiver was extended to the remaining 46 US states,
Johnson
said.
The policy change will allow more imports of high-sulfur diesel into the
US
market.
Refiners will also be able immediately to sell gasoline intended for use
in
the autumn and winter, when pollution caused by hotter weather is
normally
not a problem.
Retail gasoline prices have shot up across the country due to the fuel
supply disruptions caused by Katrina.
However, Rep. Joe Barton of Texas, the chairman of the House Energy and
Commerce Committee, said on Wednesday he believed some service stations
were
gouging consumers at the pump.
The Bush administration is planning to loan crude oil to refineries from
the
nation's emergency crude stockpile to help boost available gasoline and
other petroleum product supplies.
The government does not have a stockpile of gasoline.
EU to Help Tackles Greenhouse Gas Emission
Source: Planet Ark, September 6, 2005
The European Union agreed on Monday to give China the technology for a
coal-fired power station designed to combat global warming as part of a
wider accord on energy issues and climate change
The clean coal-power plant will employ carbon capture and storage
technology
through which the coal plant can capture its own emissions of the
greenhouse
gas carbon dioxide (CO2), burying them in porous rock underground for
long-term storage.
The offer, announced at an EU-China summit, comes as developed nations
seek
to engage emerging market powerhouses like China and India in global
moves
to stem climate change.
Industrialized countries fear that efforts to reduce their own
greenhouse
gas emissions will be undermined by rising emissions from developing
countries.
The agreement "will include cooperation on the development, deployment
and
transfer of low carbon technology, including advanced
near-zero-emissions
coal technology through carbon capture and storage", read a joint
EU-China
statement.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair, at the summit in Beijing because his
country holds the rotating EU presidency, has made climate change a
priority
for this year, when London also presides over the Group of Eight rich
nations.
Blair said China would participate in a "dialogue" between countries on
climate change. Blair will also seek to engage India in the global
warming
debate at an EU-India summit in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Environmental group WWF hailed the agreement.
"It is a very welcome signal that both China and the EU recognize
climate
change as a key geopolitical issue and are ready to take concrete action
to
reduce its threats," said Jennifer Morgan, Director of the global WWF
Climate Change Programme, in a statement.
"Unlike the recent Asia-Pacific Pact with the United States and other
countries, this agreement includes policies, markets and technologies,
which
should lead to real and significant action."
Some activists say the six-nation Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean
Development and Climate, which was announced in July, had hazy targets
and
could be a distraction attempt ahead of UN talks in November that will
focus
on widening the environmental agreement known as the Kyoto Protocol past
2012.
Coal is China's main energy source, satisfying 75 percent of the
country's
energy needs, said Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao at the summit.
An EU-China partnership on climate change was set up at the summit that
will
lead to cooperation on technology and ongoing discussions on tackling
global
warming, the statement said.
UN agencies team up to promote eco-friendly, development-oriented
tourism
Source: UN Dispatch, September 7, 2005
With massive growth in tourism predicted in the coming years, two United
Nations agencies have teamed up to produce a set of guidelines to help
governments around the world to promote a sustainable tourism that
spreads
prosperity while avoiding harm to the environment and local communities.
For the first time, the UN World Tourism Organization (WTO
<http://www.world-tourism.org/> http://www.world-tourism.org/) and the
UN
Environment Programme ((UNEP <http://www.unep.org/>
http://www.unep.org/)
have combined
(http://www.world-tourism.org/newsroom/R eleases/2005/September/newguide.htm)
their efforts to condense all aspects of the sustainability of tourism
into
a single publication, Making Tourism More Sustainable: a Guide for
Policy
Makers.
The Guide is a basic reference book that aims to provide tourism
decision
makers with a framework for developing policies for more sustainable
tourism, a toolbox of instruments that they can use to implement these
policies, and some selected case studies.
"According to how it will be planned, developed and managed, the massive
growth predicted for tourism in the forthcoming years could provide
excellent opportunities for spreading prosperity but could also
represent
considerable challenges and potential threats to the environment and
local
communities," the two agencies said in a news release.
"For instance, climate change is recognized as a major global issue,
with
significant implications for tourism. Similarly, sustainable forms of
tourism can be strategically important for preserving delicate
ecosystems
and biodiversity, providing a sustainable form of economic use as
opposed to
more aggressive industrial activities."
They also noted the increasing appreciation of the potential role of
tourism
in addressing world poverty, through bringing a source of income to the
heart of some of the poorest communities.
The Guide sets out a list of 12 aims for more sustainable tourism,
presents
the structures through which governments can work with others, deals
with
developing a strategy that embraces sustainability, including product
and
market selection, and lays out a set of instruments to be applied by
governments, including sustainability indicators, planning,
infrastructure,
legislation and regulations.
EU bio-fuel target incompatible with biodiversity targets
Source: Eco-Portal News, 12 September, 2005
Delegates at last week's European Conference on Climate Change and
Biodiversity, organized in Oxfordshire by English Nature, were told that
the
EU's target of 5.75% bio-fuels for transport by 2010 was incompatible
with
the EU's concurrent targets for the preservation of disappearing
species,
and that there is not enough land to achieve the target without
converting
productive farmland to biomass production.
Konrad Ott of the German Advisory Council on the Environment told the
conference, "the most pressing conflicts are between biomass production
and
nature conservation". The German body concluded that in the UK, Belgium
and
Germany, far more environmental gains would be made by reducing the size
of
car engines than by producing fuels from crops.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE STRATEGIC APPROACH TO THE INTERNATIONAL REGULATION OF
CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES COMES TO THE END
Source: News of <Eco-consent" on упъ, on September, 20th, 2005
On September 19, 2005, third and the final session of Preparatory
Committee
on Strategic Approach on International Regulation of Chemicals (SAIRC -
урнтич)opened in Vienna. Addressing to its opening, Klaus
Topfer, Executive
Director of UNEP, lauded the importance of the development process of
this
document.
He emphasized the necessity of the integration of basic SAIRC approaches
with the state strategy and development programs. Klaus Topfer expressed
the
hope that forthcoming International conference on chemical regulation
which
will take place in February, 2006, in Dubai, and for which the signing
of
SAIRC is scheduled, will become a high level conference, with the
participation of ministers of the countries, representatives of the
international and non-governmental organizations, every activists in the
development of this basic international document.
Chairman of Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (IFCS -
нжи) said
that SAIRC strategy includes such imoprtant sections as Global Plan of
Action including some specific necessary actions for the realization of
SAIRC. He expressed the wish to consider the experience of various
international programs (like Programme of Combatting AIDS, Malaria and
Tuberculosis; the programme attartcted 5 billion US dollars over three
years), upon the development and performance of SAIRC.
Representatives of various international organizations - PROUN, UNIDO,
UNITAR expressed the readiness actively participate in SAIRC. So, for
example, for last 15 years UNITAR has developed the methodology, and it
is
co-operating with many countries in capacity building, in the field of
regulation of chemicals, at a national level.
UNITAR Representative stressed the importance of the full member
participation of chemical industry and civil society in the performance
of
the regulation of chemical substances.
30 NGO Representatives participated in the session of the third
Preparatory
Committee - members of the International network on упъ
liquidation
(International POPs Elimination Network - IPEN), including NGOs from
Armenia, Belarus and Russia. Prior to the meeting in Vienna, IPEN had
prepared the comments for all three sections on SAIRC, certainly, on the
project General Programme Strategy section, on the project of the
declaration at a high level and the project on Global Plan of Action.
(News
of "Eco-consent" on упъ from 14 and August, 30, 2005З.). IPEN
comments in
Russian are available at the website of "Eco-consent":
http://accord.cis.lead.org
comments In English are available at the IPEN website:
URL: http://www.ipen.org
For the additional information, apply to:
Olga Speranskaya
"Eco-consent"
E-mail: [email protected]
Elena Manvelyan
Armenian Women for Health and Healthy Environment,
E-mail [email protected]
Evgenie Lobanov
Fund for Realization of Ideas
E-mail [email protected]
EU to Re-Launch Air Quality Initiative with Changes
Source: Planet Ark, September 21, 2005
Brussels - The European Commission will re-launch a package of measures
on
Wednesday aimed at improving air quality after cutting anticipated
annual
costs by about 5 billion euros ($6.08 billion), according to EU
officials.
The measures, which include new proposals for legislation, are expected
to
cost 7.1 billion euros a year once they are fully implemented from 2020,
one
official said.
That figure is down from previous cost estimates of 12 billion euros a
year.
Health benefits would be worth five or six times the costs -- as much as
45
billion euros annually -- said another official, who declined to be
named
ahead of the Commission's decision on the measures on Wednesday.
In July, the Commission shelved the air quality plans along with six
other
initiatives on marine protection, waste, soil, pesticides, natural
resources
and urban environmental management to have a general debate on the
environment.
The air quality measures, which were criticized for being too costly,
were
then revamped to reduce the cost. An official said the changes slashed
mainly environmental measures like reducing ozone pollution and kept in
place the aspects that were more related to human health.
The Commission says 370,000 people die prematurely every year as a
result of
poor air quality. The measures aim to bring that figure down to 230,000
by
2020. That represents a roughly 40 percent drop from levels in 2000.
"This strategy basically tries to take all the sources that exist that
compromise air quality and tries to set some limit values for 2020," one
official said, adding the limits would affect sectors like transport,
agriculture, and households, all of which would bear some of the related
costs.
NATIONAL REPORTS ON RAMSAR CONVENTIONS
Source: "Eco-consent" , September, 23, 2005
States-parties of the Convention should present the national reports
describing the achievements and difficulties in the performance of the
Ramsar Convention for the 9-th Conference of Parties of the Ramsar
Convention on Wetlands to occur in Kampala, Uganda, November, 8-15,
2005,
the.
The prepared national reports are exposed at the web-site of the Ramsar
Convention: http://ramsar.org/cop9/cop9_natlrpts_index.htm. In
particular,
there are presented the reports of the following Independent States:
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Republic of Moldova,
the
Russian Federation, Ukraine.
NEW PUBLICATIONS
Collection on Environmental Law
Source: Environmental Public Advocacy Center (EPAC), September 7, 2005
Development of the human society in the twenty-first century is supposed
to
be accompanied by the increasing role of the environment. Meanwhile, the
more human beings want to extract from nature, thereby violating the
ecological balance, the fewer chances nature and its components have to
recover. Ecological crisis as a violation of the balance of ecological
systems and the relationship of humans and nature is a matter of concern
worldwide.
Law, as a regulator of the relationship between society and nature, is
one
of the means to recover ecological balance. The necessity of securing a
healthy environment that supports human welfare and sustainable and
ecologically sound development is stated as a principle in many
international legal documents. Adequate protection of the environment
is
needed to carry out basic human rights, including the right to life. "In
the
matters concerning the environment improved access to information and
public
participation in decision-making process enhance the quality and
implementation of decisions, contribute to public awareness of
environmental
issues, give the public the opportunity to express its concerns and
enable
the public authorities to take due account of such concerns." ("Aarhus
Convention on Access to Justice, Public Participation in Decision-making
Process and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters". It was signed
by
Armenia in 1998 and ratified on 14. 05.2001 and as the 16th country
ratifying it, Armenia contributed to its coming into force).
Therefore, dissemination of information about environmental law will
contribute to ecological enlightenment, rising of the public ecological-
legal culture, the involvement of the public in the decision-making
process
and implementation of legislative requirements, which, in its turn, will
contribute to the rule of law and building of civil society.
The collection does not claim to embrace all of what is known as
environmental legislation or environmental protection legislation. This
is,
however, an attempt to fill the existing gap in Armenia and it is
supposed
to increase public awareness of law, in general and environmental law,
in
particular.
The collection is meant for a wide range of readers- scientists, state
servants, students, public, staff of the law machinery, judicial system
and
all those who are interested in the issues of functioning of
environmental
law.
Aida Iskoyan
President of the Environmental
Public Advocacy Center (EPAC)
CALENDAR (INTERNATIONAL)
SEMINAR ON ECOLOGICAL SERVICES AND FINANCING FOR THE BENEFIT OF
SUSTAINABLE
USE AND PROTECTION OF ECOSYSTEMS
Source: "Eco-Soglasie" ("Eco-Consent"), September 9, 2005
Seminar on Ecological Services and Financing of Sustainable Use and
Protection of Ecosystems will take place in Geneva, October, 10-11,
2005,
under the aegis of the European Economic Commission of the United
Nations,
within the framework of Helsinki Convention on the protection and use of
transboundary water-currents and international lakes.
At its 13-th session in April, 2005 the Commission on sustainable
development made a decision that the services the ecosystems provide are
of
great value for people, especially in the context of complex water
resource
management. The Commission called for the promotion of ecosystem
stability,
providing the major resources and services for people and economic
activities, and also to the development of innovative methods of
financing
of protection activities. These issues were discussed at the seminar in
Geneva.
The seminar will promote the development of specific joint actions at
the
international, regional, transboundary, national and local levels and
will
specifically contribute to the preparation of the Ninth Session of the
Conference of the Contract Parties of Ramsar Convention on Wetland, 1971
(Kampala, Uganda, November, 8-15, 2005).
The seminar will discuss three main topics:
A. Assessment of the services provided by ecosystems;
B. Legal and contractual aspects;
C. Realization related Problems.
Each topic will be presented in one or more reports on key problems. At
the
end of the seminar participants will make conclusions and
recommendations.
Representatives of the Helsinki Convention Parties, states-members of
the
United Nations, governmental and non-governmental organizations,
including
civil society and business circles can participate in the seminar.
Participation is free. Thus it is supposed, that participants will pay
travel, accommodation and catering charges.
The government of Switzerland, the leader of this measure, considers
certain
financial support to experts from the countries with transitive economy
provided that these participants present national reports, discussion
materials or will act with reports on key problems. Request for
financial
assistance should be sent no later than September 15, 2005.
Additional information on Seminar on Ecological Services and Financing
of
Sustainable Use and Protection of Ecosystems can be found at:
http://www.unece.org/env/water/meetings/payment_ecosystems/seminar.htm
Contact information:
Francesca Bernardini
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Convention on the
Protection
and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes
E-mail: [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>
CONFERENCE ON PACKING WASTE
Source: "Eco-consent" >, September, 25, 2005
On November 2, 2005 at 10.00 AM, the Congress-center of Commercial and
industrial chamber of the Russian Federation (Ilyinka Street6, Moscow)
takes place the Third International scientifically-practical conference
"Management of Packing Waste: Impact on Economy and Environment.
European
and Russian Experience ".
The conference is organized by: Subcommittee of Packing Industry
Development
of TPP Committee of the Russian Federation on Industrial Development and
High Technologies, Association of Assistance to the International
Exchange
to Nature Protection Technologies (ITUT, Germany).
Representatives of the largest European organizations from many
countries of
Europe engaged in packing and household waste management will take part
in
the conference, also representatives of the Russian ministries,
departments,
profile committees of the State Duma, Council of Federation of the
Russian
Federation, committees TPP of the Russian Federation, associations of
businessmen, territorial TPP, enterprises and organizations engaged in
household waste problem-solution in Russia, scientists, journalists,
mass-media.
Participants of the conference will consider the following issues:
management and utilization of packigig wastes in Europe and Russia;
modern
status and prospects of the development of the legislation in the sphere
of
packing and packing waste in Russia, experience of the certain Russian
and
foreign enterprises and the organizations of gathering, processing and
recycling of packing and household waste. The Participants will
elaborate
recommendations to government bodies and business community.
The participation in conference is free-of-charge.
Concerning participation, and also for additional information it is
necessary to apply to
Subcommittee TPP on Development of Packing Industry of the Russian
Federation
Tel/fax: +7(095) 203-93-33; 291-34-21
E-mail:[email protected]
Contact persons: Rumyantseva Nora Alexandrovna, Smotryaev Evgenie
Anatolievich.
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CENN INFO
Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN)
Tel:++995 32 75 19 03/04
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URL: www.cenn.org
(CENN)
83 Electronic Bulletin:
Caucasus Environmental News
Dear Colleagues! Dear Reader (DR)!
Welcome to the September issue of the Caucasus Environmental News
electronic
bulletin prepared by participants of the Caucasus Environmental NGO
Network
(CENN).
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Announcements
Ecology and Economy in Harmony
Georgian Tourist Agency "La-Ta" Tour
Announcement: Explore Georgia with Caucasus Travel
Job, Internship and Study Opportunities
Job Announcements
Ecological Management
News from Georgia
Tourist Boom for Adjara
A Bleak Future for Georgia's Village Forests - Forest Destruction and
Environmental Degradation Around Georgia's Rural Communities
Officials Laud Millennium Challenge Aid Agreement
Georgia Hopes to Receive $600M from International Financial Institutions
Ten Years Left on MDGs, Poverty Still a Concern
MCG Establishes Consultant Committee
World Bank Sets Georgia Strategy for 2006-2009
The Unique Forests of Borjomi are Under the Danger of Extinction
Cracks Revealed in BTC Oil Pipeline
News from Azerbaijan
70 Complaints have been Received on the <Hot Line> of Ministry of
Ecology
and Natural Resources, For Over 5 Months of This Year
Construction of Azerbaijan Part of SCP to be Completed in 2005
BP Social Investment Programme Underway
Health Ministry of Azerbaijan: "There was Never Bacteriological Weapon
in
Azerbaijan"
The Laboratory of Water Quality Control with Modern Equipment
Azerbaijan to Celebrate World Tourism Day
Nature Under Protection
"Shahdeniz" Project Activities Progressing Ahead of Schedule
News from Armenia
IMF: the Armenian Program of Poverty Reduction can Become an Example for
other Countries
Basin of Lake Arpi to Become National Park
Forests in Arzni and Nubarashen Restored
Germany Allocates 2.2 Million EUR to Armenia for Implementation of
Project
"Bio-Diversity and Nature Protection in South Caucasus Region"
Economic Growth and Reduction of Poverty in Armenia?
UNICEF's Partnership with Millennium Challenge Armenian Children's
Vaccination Found Helps Save Children's Lives
Armenia's Sustainable Development Strategy Discussion in Yerevan
OSCE to Support Armenia in Ecology Initiatives
NGO News
Meeting Between the Journalist of Weekly Newspaper "Kviris Palitra" and
Local Population of Bolnisi
Ecologists Care of Well-Being in Bakuriani to Save forests
WWF Continues Leopard Protection Project in Syunik
NGOS Mark Global Day of Action Against Waste and Incineration
International News
Measures of Straggle Against Climatic Changes Will Contribute to the
Reduction of Economic Loss
US Eases Air Pollution Rule to Boost Fuel Supply
EU to Help Tackles Greenhouse Gas Emission
UN Agencies Team up to Promote Eco-friendly, Development-Oriented
Tourism
EU Bio-Fuel Target Incompatible with Biodiversity Targets
Development of the Strategic Approach to the International Regulation of
Chemical Substances Comes to the End
EU to Re-Launch Air Quality Initiative with Changes
National Reports on Ramsar Convention
New Publications
Collection on Environmental Law
Calendar (International)
Seminar on Ecological Services and Financing for the Benefit of
Sustainable
Use and Protection of Ecosystems
Conference on Packaging Waste
SUBSCRIBING INFORMATION
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Ecology and Economy in Harmony
Source: The Messenger, September 26, 2005
We believe we can have a real, measurable and positive impact on the
biodiversity of the world. If you are a non-governmental organization
(NGO)
or an environmental agency who thinks the same way, please read on
Building
on last 3 years' success BP is pleased to announce the fourth Georgia
Biodiversity Competition.
The competition, which is a part of BP's Biodiversity Strategy in
Georgia,
supports our commitment to undertaking a serious of species biodiversity
initiative in the countries and areas where we operate.
This year competition will conduct on 2 categories:
1. Biodiversity projects;
2. Biodiversity article and video materials.
The first category
The cost of the project submitted for the competition should not exceed
$ 20
000.
These projects should:
* Deliver tangible, long-term benefits
* Include sustainability initiatives
* Have identified ways of measuring performance and success
* Be based on sound science
* Be cost effective
We will consider projects with research elements if they also add
practical,
long-term benefits.
Projects can be submitted be one organization or by a group of NGOs.
Please
note that only credible NGOs and organizations can participate in the
Competition.
The document submitted for the competition should include detailed
project
description (objectives, expected outcomes, implementation dates,
detailed
work plan (action, date, responsible people and their CVs) and budget
breakdown.
The second category
The proposed Biodiversity Article and video materials should be:
* Related to Biodiversity published/broadcast in 2004 and 2005
* Be popular for ordinary readers
* Articles should be submitted by an Author or group of authors.
Proposed materials should have no more than 7 000 characters, duration
of
video materials should be 10-20 minutes.
The following prizes are determined for winners:
* First Prize - One Prize ($ 700)
* Second Prize - One Prize ($ 500)
* Third Prize - Two Prizes ($ 300 each)
Submission deadline on both categories is October 28, 2005.
The winner project will be announces in January 2006.
All proposals should be addresses to Communication and External Affairs
Team
at BP Georgia offices.
Address: 38, Saburtalo Str., Tbilisi, Georgia
For additional information please contact Communication and External
Affairs
Team at BP Georgia offices
Tel: (+995 32) 59 34 00
Georgian Tourist Agency "La-Ta" Tour
This is young Georgian tourist agency "La-Ta" Tour, which despite of 6
months existence has established itself on the market as a company
offering
premium service quality. Our main aim is to promote tourism in Georgia
and
show you the "hidden" wealth of our ancient country.
Despite of your busy working schedule, we make it possible for you to
get
out and rest from the chaotic city life.
We offer various trips and tours in the beautiful regions of Georgia,
where
you can experience Georgian world famous hospitality, culture, history,
architecture, traditions and cousin.
With us you have an advantage to create your own tour, choosing
destination,
number of days and your own team.
"La-Ta Tour" also offer you air-tickets, insurance, tours around the
world.
Do not hesitate "To Invest Your Time in Memories Forever!"
Sincerely Yours,
"La-Ta Tour"
25, Vazha-Pshavela Ave.,
Tbilisi, 0160, Georgia
Tel./Fax: 37 95 26
Mob.: 899 56 75 57
899 39 67 67
e-mail: <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]
Announcement: Explore Georgia with Caucasus Travel
Caucasus travel offers various types of travel.
For detailed information about booking please call:
Tel: (995 32) 98 74 00
(995 32) 93 11 75
E-mail. <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]
Or visit us at:
44111 Leselidze Str.,
0105, Tbilisi, Georgia
Tour Coordinator
Keti Aspindzelashvili
JOB, INTERNSHIP AND STUDY OPPORTUNITIES
Job Announcements
The USAID funded Program for Institutional and Regulatory Strengthening
of
Water Management in Armenia started in October 2004 and is being carried
out
by PA Government Services Inc. The anticipated completion date of the
Program is 2008.
The Program is designed to provide assistance to the development of the
National Water Program, the improvement of the legal framework of the
water
sector, and the strengthening of selected agencies with responsibilities
in
water management. Because of broadening and deepening of our activities,
the
following specialists will strengthen our team:
1. Communication/training specialist;
2. Water resources monitoring specialist;
3. Groundwater monitoring specialist;
4. River basin planner/IWRM specialist;
5. Database programmer.
Communication/Training Specialist
Scope of Work
* Coordinate implementation of the Program's communication
strategy;
* Develop informational products to support the Program, such as
website,
newsletter, fact sheet, brochure, etc.;
* Assist counterpart institutions with development and
implementation of public
outreach and communications strategies and action plans, as needed;
* Monitor media coverage and maintain the archive of
water-related
news;
* Coordinate training activities of the Program;
* Design and organize trainings/seminars to strengthen the
capacity
of public affairs managers of counterpart organizations and to raise
awareness of journalists in water-related issues.
Requirements
The specialist should have a university degree in journalism, public
affairs
or comparable field; at least three years of professional experience,
preferably in international projects; excellent interpersonal and
organizational skills; ability to work in a team as well as
independently;
good oral and written communication skills in Armenian and English; and
good
computer skills.
Water Resources Monitoring Specialist (full or part time)
The water resources monitoring specialist will work with a team of
national
and international experts in a program aimed at revitalizing water
resources
monitoring in Armenia.
Scope of Work
* Review existing surface water monitoring programs;
* Develop criteria for renovation of existing monitoring
systems;
* Propose modifications to current monitoring systems;
* Review proposals for modifications to existing monitoring
networks;
* Analyze existing data;
* Participate in design of new monitoring systems;
* Meet and discuss programs with government officials involved
in
water resources monitoring.
Requirements
This specialist should have a university degree in engineering or
comparable
field and at least five years of experience in surface water
measurements
and analyses. Good oral and written communication skills in English
would be
an advantage.
Groundwater Monitoring Specialist (full or part time)
The groundwater monitoring specialist will work with a team of national
and
international experts in a program aimed at re-establishment of
groundwater
monitoring in Armenia.
Scope of Work
* Make inventory of available groundwater data and maps;
* Locate the original "milestone" observation wells;
* Prepare a vision and near term needs for the
re-establishment of groundwater monitoring in Armenia;
* Build groundwater spatial and tabular database in
cooperation with the ongoing program that develops the State Water
Cadastre
Information System;
* Map the main groundwater abstractions and spring
capitations
for drinking water supply;
* Estimate and map the recharge areas of the main drinking
water sources;
* Design groundwater monitoring networks and programs;
* Prepare technical specifications for observation well
construction;
* Provide training in support of the above activities.
Requirements
This specialist should have a university degree in hydrogeology or
comparable field and at least ten years of experience in groundwater
management, groundwater protection and groundwater monitoring. Good oral
and
written communication skills in English would be an advantage.
River Basin Planner/IWRM Specialist
This specialist will work with a team of national and foreign experts in
the
development of integrated water resources management plans for river
basins
and the capacity building for basin development and management.
Scope of Work
* Assist in developing planning programs;
* Prepare inventories of data and information related to water
resources planning;
* Prepare criteria for planning purposes;
* Assess resources, and needs;
* Assist in formulation of plans;
* Assist in the evaluation of plans;
* Work with public participation bodies;
* Work with government agencies in water sector;
* Participate in training programs.
Requirements
This specialist will have a university degree in engineering or
equivalent,
and at least five years of experience in natural resources planning,
economic development planning, water management, or comparable work. The
successful candidate will have to demonstrate good oral English language
skills. Experience with the numerical modeling of river basins would be
an
advantage.
Database Programmer (part time)
The database programmer will work with a team of national and
international
experts in a program aimed at building water recourses databases for the
State Water Cadastre Information System (SWCIF).
Scope of Work
* Assist in designing Access-based databases;
* Design and build database user interface and data
entry
forms;
* Design and construct database reports;
* Design and construct data import and export
utilities;
* Work with government agencies in developing the
SWCIF.
Requirements
The specialist should have a university degree in computer science,
applied
mathematics, or comparable field, and at least 5 years of experience in
Microsoft Access.
How to apply:
Please send CV and covering letter in English, by e-mail or fax by
October
21, 2005
to:
Water Management Program
Attention of: Ms. Ani Chibukhchyan
E-mail: [email protected]
Fax: 58 60 13
ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT
Source: "Eco-consent" September 15, 2005
Next ecological management training session for the experts in
environmental
protection will take place from November 10 to November 28, 2005 in
Galillee
College, Israel.
This time, the program will include training trips to the water
treatment
factory and the monitoring station of atmospheric air quality; also, the
meeting with representatives of the environmental protection ministry of
Israel is planed.
The following main issues will be considered at the courses:
* Various environmental problems: household waste,
air
and water pollution, negative environmental impact on health,
international
agreements on nature protection;
* Solution of ecological problems: technologies and
approaches;
* Household waste: processing, burning, pyrolysis,
fermentation;
* Sewage water treatment: intensive and extensive
technologies;
* Water Resource Management and irrigation;
* Hazardous Waste Management;
* Economy of wildlife management: audit and EIA;
* International Organization of Standardization 14,
etc.
The participants from the countries with transitive economy can be
awarded
with grants.
For the additional information, please apply to:
Citwanyte Chishinsky,
Manager
International Department of Galillee College, Israel
Website: <http://www.galilcol.ac.il/> www.galilcol.ac.il
Email: <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]
NEWS FROM GEORGIA
Tourist Boom for Adjara
Source: The Messenger, September 2, 2005
0ne of the Saakashvili administration's key economic priorities is the
development of tourism in Adjara. The summer season is of special
importance
for this coastal region, as it provides much of the population with the
income they need to subsist on for the entire year.
Many believe that Adjarians were so quick to oppose their local despotic
leader Aslian Abashidze in May of last year because they feared that the
conflict between the latter and the central government might have, along
with other negative consequences, ruined the 2004 tourist season.
This year's resort season will last until October 25, but it can be said
that Adjara has already received the majority of its tourists. The local
and
central governments, as well as leaders in the tourism industry have
declared this season a great success.
In 2004, less than 20,000 people vacationed in Batumi, but this year
that
indicator reached 65,000. In addition to domestic vacationers, the
number of
foreigners visiting Batumi also significantly increased. According to
Tavisupali Gazeti, the main influx of foreign tourists to Adjara came
from
Armenia, Ukraine, Russia, Poland, Germany, Denmark, Norway, the United
States, Turkey and Iran.
The list of countries is impressive, though some of the aforementioned
states, namely those in the West, produced only a small amount of
tourists.
Understandably, while developing strategies to entice foreign
vacationers,
the main accent is placed on neighboring countries
On the initiative of the Adjara Tourism and Resorts Department, a
35-second
promotional clip was produced and aired on Armenian, Azerbaijani and
Ukrainian television. As the head of the department, Temur Zoidze
states,
this commercial played a key role in the attraction of tourists from
abroad.
"This effort yielded many tourists from foreign countries. We have a
program
to target Ukraine and if it is implemented, many more tourists will come
from that country in the future," he said, as quoted by Tavisupali
Gazeti.
A major share of foreign tourists in Adjara this year came from Armenia.
This is due to two basic factors - it is the nearest coastal area to
that
country and, for understandable historical reasons, Armenians do not
feel
comfortable visiting the more prestigious resorts of the Turkish Black
Sea
coast, as the elite of many other regional countries do. In the future,
Adjara will continue its policy of attracting tourists from Armenia and
in
so doing, create new opportunities for cooperation between the countries
It should be pointed out that the president of breakaway Abkhazia,
Sergei
Baghapsh, also attempted to entice tourists from Armenia. During a
mid-August visit to Moscow, he is reported to have held a closed door
meeting with Armenian businessmen where he offered them to become
actively
engaged in investing in the Abkhaz resort business. Though the Sokhumi
authorities categorically deny these reports, the Georgian government
speculates that Baghapsh focused on Armenian businessmen because he knew
that their deeper involvement in the resort industry in Abkhazia would
cause
great irritation in Tbilisi.
A bleak future for Georgia's village forests - Forest destruction and
environmental degradation around Georgia's rural communities
Source: Mike Garforth, September 5, 2005
Anyone who spends most of their time in Tbilisi is accustomed to the
stark,
treeless landscapes around the city, so much so that they may think that
such an environment is normal, even healthy. You have to travel some
distance from the city before forest becomes a significant feature. Take
the
road main road north out of the city towards Kazbegi and only when you
get
beyond the monastery of Dzhvari do you begin to see forest stretching
out in
the distance on either side of the valley of the Aragvi River. Look up
to
Dzhvari and to the hills to the side and behind it and you will see a
once
forested landscape that has been destroyed by unsustainable logging and
uncontrolled grazing. Some of the slopes are showing signs of serious
erosion. This is an inherently unstable landscape. As the trees have
been
cut and the shrubs and herbs eaten away by the cattle, sheep and goats
that
graze here, the soil has been exposed to the water that runs down the
slopes
during rainfall. The soil starts to erode, taken by the rain water into
the
Aragvi River. The soil becomes thinner, the slopes less fertile. The
water
runs more quickly into the river because the vegetation has been thinned
out. The level of the river raises further and more quickly causing
flooding
and the destruction of homes and livelihoods.
Travel further, beyond the point where the main road turns west towards
Kutaisi and on towards the village of Natakhtara. Look at the hillside
to
the north west of the village and you will see a clear line between the
over-grazed lower slopes and the upper slopes where most of the bushes
still
remain, though not the trees. Continue through Misakhtsieli and
Tsitelsopeli
and on both sides of the valley the slopes around every community are
showing the same signs of degradation. This pattern of forest
destruction
and erosion is being repeated around every village in Georgia - hundreds
of
Dzhvari landscapes in the process of being created. The process is slow
enough that you will not see the change from year to year, but if it
continues, large areas of Georgia will become bare, degraded landscape
within a generation.
The village of Chanadirebi lies close to Bazaleti Lake above the town of
Dusheti, which was badly affected by flooding following the prolonged,
heavy
rains in June. Once a thriving community, Chanadirebi like so many rural
communities in Georgia has suffered badly since independence and the
move to
a free-market economy. There is little money circulating in the village
and
most households survive on what they can produce on their land. The
water
supply to the village's central water supply has been cut because the
population cannot afford to pay for the water to be pumped to the well.
Those without their own wells, which is most of the population, have to
spend an hour or more a day collecting water from a spring beyond the
village. Many of the households are without electricity. Their lines
have
been cut because they cannot afford to pay or refuse to pay for
electricity
they have not consumed but for which they are billed under the system of
communal charging. The picture is much the same in the other communities
lying in the Bazaleti basin.
Around Bazaleti and its villages, the forest and agricultural land form
an
attractive landscape. Even the radio station that dominates the skyline
cannot take away from its natural beauty. Thousands of people come to
the
lake every year to picnic and bathe. A new complex is in the final
stages of
construction on the edge of the lake and will bring more visitors, and
hopefully jobs to the communities. This is an immensely valuable
landscape.
>From a distance it appears stable. But look more closely and you will
see
that it is being degraded. The forests are being logged indiscriminately
-
the smaller or poorer quality trees for fuel wood, the larger, better
quality trees for construction. Cattle, sheep, goats and pigs graze
every
part of the forest, eating away the young trees and plants and
preventing
the forest from regenerating. Some of the slopes above the road that
leads
up to Chanadirebi from the Aragvi valley are already eroding and the
stream
sides are still scarred by the erosion that followed the heavy rains
earlier
this year, exacerbated by deforestation.
The future for Bazaleti's village forests and every other village forest
in
Georgia looks bleak. They are being over-used by a rural population that
needs energy for heating and cooking and that takes wood from the forest
because they cannot afford any alternative. Ownership and responsibility
for
taking care of the forests is not clear, so no-one feels responsible and
people simply take what they need.
It doesn't have to be like this. There are many successful examples
around
the world of communities that have been allowed and been shown how to
take
responsibility for forest resources. Often management is more successful
than in forests controlled by government institutions because
communities
feel a closer connection to and greater responsibility for the forest.
What
these examples show us is that communities need four things. They need
security of tenure so they feel assured that the results of their
investment
of time or money will be seen in their communities. They need education,
first to understand the connections between their use of the forest and
survival of the forest and then to learn how to use the forest in a
sustainable way. They need to create an organization that will take care
of
the forest on their behalf. And they need money to get started.
Georgia needs to start now to pilot community management of forests.
Continuing along the present path will result only in more destroyed
forest
and degraded landscapes.
Officials Laud Millennium Challenge Aid Agreement
Source: The Messenger, September 14, 2005
The signing of the Millennium Challenge agreement for USD 295.3 million
in
aid to Georgia underlines the continuing and strengthening relationship
between Georgia and the United States, officials from both countries
said
Monday.
Speaking at the signing ceremony for the new aid agreement, U.S.
Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice said the agreement, the largest so far from
the
new U.S. aid program, "represents America's long-term commitment to
Georgia's future success."
"Our partnership will only continue to grow stronger as Georgia
continues to
establish the rule of law, a vibrant and civil society, an independent
media, a free economy and an accountable, effective institutions of
government at all levels," she said according to a transcript released
by
the Department of State.
President Mikheil Saakashvili echoed the sentiment in his comments. "It
is a
partnership between our two countries; it's a partnership primarily
between
our two peoples and peoples who share the same values, who have the
same
dreams for their children, and to support one another and to believe in
supreme value of liberty and freedom," he said.
Both Rice and Saakashvili were in New York to attend the opening of the
60th
UN General Assembly but used the occasion to mark the signing of the
Millennium Challenge agreement, called a "compact."
The two also praised Georgia's progress under its new government, and
Saakashvili vowed that his administration had eliminated all corruption
that
afflicted previous aid programs.
"Georgia's Rose Revolution and the commitment to political and economic
reform of the Georgian Government and people have transformed what many
people previously thought possible, not only for the people of Georgia
but
for others as well, who are pressing for peaceful democratic change in
their
nations," Secretary Rice enthused.
Saakashvili affirmed "We've fixed the problem with our government
bureaucracy, with corruption." He also said the USD 295 million in aid,
which will be distributed over five years, will be effectively used by
his
administration. "A new accountable government produced with all the
complexities that democracy involves can be by far more efficient than
the
authoritarian, corrupt, kleptocratic regimes that we had previously," he
said. As for the aid itself, U.S. Ambassador to Georgia John Tefft told
journalists in Tbilisi Tuesday that the Millennium Challenge aid "is
based
on the philosophy that assistance is most effective when it reinforces
good
governance, economic freedom and invests in people."
The money will be prioritized for five specific projects: roads in
Samtskhe-Javakheti, the North-South gas pipeline, municipal
infrastructure,
a regional development fund for agricultural and tourism, and
agricultural
development. Planners anticipate the aid will produce direct benefit for
500,000 Georgians. Ambassador Tefft credited the president, the prime
minister and the team of Georgian specialists involved in drafting the
agreement.
The ambassador also stressed that the money comes as a supplement and
not a
substitute to traditional U.S. assistance. "This program will take place
along aside our assistance programs that include the programs of USAID,
the
Department of Defense, State, Justice, Commerce and Treasury. In other
words
this is an addition to the assistance that we are providing and have
been
providing through our traditional programs."
Charles Sethness, the Vice-President of the U.S. government's Millennium
Challenge Corporation which is administering the aid program, lauded
Georgia's planned use of the money for benefiting so many people.
"I think what strikes me most about this Compact, which is focused on
rehabilitating infrastructure and on rural business development, is the
breadth of its impact. The programs outlined in this Compact have the
potential to reach hundreds of thousands of Georgians. And this Compact
has
depth. It will lead to dramatic improvement in many of the lives that it
does touch," he said in New York.
Saakashvili too praised the aid saying it could be the most useful
international assistance his country has received. "I think it's really
one
of the most, I think, by far the most efficient tool of help I'd ever
seen
and I've seen many assistance programs in my country for the last
decade."
GEORGIA HOPES TO RECEIVE $600M FROM INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
Source: Information Agency "Sarke", September 14, 2005
Apart from $295.3 million, the US has disbursed to Georgia under the
Millennium Challenge program the Georgian government hopes to receive up
to
$600 million in loan from international financial institutions.
Both Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli and Finance Minister Aleksi
Aleksishvili
told journalists about talks being held on additional funding with the
institutions in the State Office today.
Ten Years Left on MDGs, Poverty Still a Concern
Source: The Messenger, September 19, 2005
Five years after signing the Millennium Development Goals, Georgia has
accomplished little progress against poverty, the senior UN development
official in Georgia said on Friday.
At a meeting September 16, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
office in Georgia, together with the state ministers for reform
coordination
and conflict resolution launched Global Human Development Report (HDR)
2005,
the focus of which is the private sector and trade, as well as the
relationship between development and conflict.
UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator and UNDP Resident
Representative
Lance Clark said the report "warns the international community that
despite
the successes, many countries may remain behind in terms of the
development
rate. This report is also very important for Georgia."
HE Clark said that the report indicators that in order to achieve
Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs), countries of the world - both developing and
prosperous - should accelerate their efforts. "We are really not able to
meet those goals at this point. In particular the goal of poverty
reduction
is one we are concerned about."
Signed in 2000, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are
international
targets for addressing extreme poverty in its many dimensions: income
poverty, hunger, disease, lack of adequate shelter, and exclusion-while
promoting gender equality, education, and environmental sustainability.
The
target date for achieving the goals is 2015.
"We look at some of the information for Georgia. We do not see much
progress, and perhaps even a little bit of slippage in the last years in
terms of poverty reduction to meet the goal of cutting poverty in half
by
2015," Lance Clark said Friday, "Further action is going to be
necessary."
Clark stated that in general the report shows that there has been some
progress towards the achievement of a number of the goals. Georgia's
Millennium Development progress report will be released this week in
English.
"In the area of the poverty reduction, the picture is somewhat mixed.
Statistically, there has been a small reduction last year in overall
poverty. It looks like that rural poverty, according to the State
Department
of Statistics, has actually increased," HE Clark told the paper.
"The real concern is overall in order to cut poverty in half we need to
see
sizable reduction and that hasn't started yet," he stated, though
acknowledging "The government can argue that its investments in things
like
the payment of pensions, investments in infrastructure, roads and
irrigation
and agriculture systems will pay off." HE Clark also highlighted that
education reforms are another investment that can help achieve the
reduction
of poverty.
The Global Human Development Report 2005 that was presented on Friday
ranks
Georgia together with 176 other countries according, to their Human
Development Index (HDI).
Georgia ranked 100 and is grouped with medium developed countries.
Compared
to the rest of Central and Eastern Europe as well as CIS countries,
Georgia
is below the average, which is 0.802 for the region. The report ranks
Georgia's neighbors Azerbaijan at 101 and Armenia at 83.
The report notes that in HDR 2005, the great majority of the countries
in
the "middle and low" human development category have experienced violent
conflicts since 1990 and that Georgia is one of the
middle-human-development
category countries where the resolutions of the conflicts are critical
for
the human development in the country. Georgia received high marks for
the
level of education and life expectancy. However it's per capita GDP
ranked
low at 121 on the list of countries.
State Minister for Conflict Resolution Goga Khaindrava said that the
main
issue for the discussion was economic rehabilitation and development in
the
conflict resolutions.
"I think that this is one of the main keys to the conflict resolution
because basically, a contributing factor to the resistance that we face
today in the peacekeeping process in both Abkhazia and Tskhinvali is
unemployment, lack of infrastructure, and the helplessness of the people
to
improve their social conditions," he stated.
State Minister for Reform Coordination Kakha Bendukidze also attended
the
briefing.
MCG Establishes Consultant Committee
Source: "24 Saati" (""24 Hours), September 20, 2005
The consultant committee of Millennium Challenges Georgia (MCG) will be
created until the end of month. Committee will be the tool for the
representatives of private sector, non-governmental organizations, local
and
regional government to express and submit their recommendations on the
implementation of MCG projects.
On August 19, 2005 MCG announced the competition for the NGO selection.
The
deadline for submission of the documents was September 16, but due to
the
lack of submitted announcements, the deadline was changed to September
20.
At the end of the September organizations will be selected by committee.
According the foundation press service committee will be composed of
three
governmental, three NGOs and two of business sector representatives,
totally
- of eight members. Among NGOs one will be from Samckhe-Javakheti region
and
another will be named by non-governmental organizations.
"Millennium Challenges Programme" was established by USA president Jorj
Boush. As a part of the Millennium Challenge program Georgia will
receive
3000 million dollars.
World Bank sets Georgia strategy for 2006-2009
Source: The Messenger, September 21, 2005
In Tbilisi on September 18, the government of Georgia and the World Bank
signed a financing agreement for the country's first Poverty Reduction
Support Operation (PRSO) provided for in the new World Bank strategy for
Georgia.
The PRSO is the first of three such operations that the Bank says will
provide budgetary support for the Georgian government's reform program.
As a result of the agreement the Georgian Ministry of Finance will
receive
USD 20 million, USD 13.5 million through a loan and the remaining USD
6.5
through a grant.
"Over the last 18 months, the Government of Georgia has made impressive
progress towards long term stability and sustained growth," World Bank
Acting Country Manager for Georgia, Elene Imnadze said in Tbilisi. She
thinks that the challenge for Georgia now will be "to translate these
early
gains into lasting institutional change" to maintain high rates of
economic
growth and reduce poverty.
According to the World Bank, the PRSO is built on "four reform pillars",
including strengthening public sector transparency, improving proving
electricity and gas sector services, as well as reforming I social
protection, education, and I health care services.
The World Bank states 40 percent cent of the PRSO will be earmarked for
the
general public administration sector, 20 percent for the general energy
sector, 20 percent for health and other social services, and 20 percent
for
the general industry and trade sector.
The PRSO was approved by, the World Bank's Board of Executive Director
in
Washington on September 15. The same day the Bank's board signed off on
the
new Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) for Georgia.
The new strategy covers the years 2006-2009 and envisages assistance to
Georgia of about USD 143 million, including the Current PRSO.
Announcing the approval of the new strategy the bank noted Georgia is
continuing its "bold program" of reforms including reorganization
government, uprooting corruption, and stabilizing the economy.
"The economy is growing, inflation is under control, and increased
Government revenues have enabled it to pay arrears, increase civil
service
salaries, and fund rehabilitation and maintenance of key infrastructure,
including energy", the World Bank states in a release.
However, the Bank notes "the daunting challenges remain." Among the
actions
still to be taken by the government the Bank mentions are social
protection,
and rehabilitation of infrastructure.
"The goal of the new CPS is to support the country's efforts to improve
the
quality of life of its people", said World Bank Country Director for
Georgia
Donna Dowsett Coirolo. "This is why improving social services, fixing
infrastructure, strengthening the public service and fostering a
business
environment that creates new jobs are all key in the Georgia CPS," she
added.
World Bank Executing Director for Georgia Ad Melkert stated in a press
release, "The CPS rightly identifies preventing corruption and improving
governance; reducing constraints in the private sectors; and targeting
social assistance as key areas of support."
Christian Petersen, the Bank's lead economist for the Caucasus said the
series of PRSOs that are foreseen in the2006-09 CPS "will underpin the
reform programs and complement planned investments in infrastructure,
and
the social sectors. In addition, IFC is expected to play a key role in
private sector development."
Earlier last week the World Bank's report Doing Business 2006 named
Georgia
the number I two global reformer. Speaking on Saturday Prime Minister of
Georgia Zurab Noghaideli said "we will do everything to be top in 2007
as
well."
The World Bank aid is the second largest Ion-term aid agreement reached
this
month. On September 12 Georgia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Salome
Zurabishvili and the vice-president of the U.S. Millennium Challenge
Corporation Charles Sethness l signed of a new USD 295.3 million grant
agreement on Monday last week. The funds administered by the Millennium
Challenge Corporation, w;'1 be allocated over the next five-years for
projects on roads, energy, regional infrastructure, agriculture and
enterprise development.
The Unique Forests of Borjomi are under the Danger of Extinction
Source: "Sakartvelos Respublika" ("Georgian Republic"), September 21,
2005
As NGOs declared due the influence of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline in
Borjomi forests the fir-tree groves are withering.
In the fir-tree forests near by the pipeline the vermin from the
lime-eating
beetles' class have multiplied declared in "International Informational
Center of Social Reforms" and "Union of Forest Investigators".
"The situation is so critical that even one wrong action may raise the
number of vermin. Such critical situation is in Sakire-Tdrizi forests.
And
we consider that such situation is directly due to the existence of BTC
pipeline," - declared the "Union of Forest Investigators" representative
Nino Guramishvili.
Cracks revealed in BTC oil pipeline
Source: UPI Energy Correspondent: By Andrea R. Mihailescu, Published
September 21, 2005
One of the most expensive pipeline systems in the world, the $3.6
billion
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, will fill its first tanker in less
than
two months and the pipeline is already showing cracks, but Georgian
officials assert they pose no ecological threat.
"BP does have the problem of coating the surface of the pipeline," said
Zaal
Lomtadze, Georgian deputy minister for natural resources and
environmental
protection. "Unfortunately, we found this out a little later, although
not
from BP."
Experts have been hired to assess the cracks.
"The Georgian authorities have employed international experts who are
acting
as environmental protection and technical advisors and who are
monitoring
the oil pipeline construction process," he added.
International experts hired by the Consolidated Contractors
International
Co., the contractor involved in the engineering and construction of the
project, revealed the Baku-Tbilisi Ceyhan oil pipeline has cracks that
have
appeared on the welded edges of the pipes on the Georgian and Azeri
sections
of the pipeline, which might cause oil to leak from the pipes.
"We found out precisely from them that the company did make some
mistakes in
the process of welding the pipes together," Lomtadze added. "The
existence
of the problem is confirmed and it does not pose any threat."
BP, the lead project operator, maintains the highest quality products
were
used to construct the pipeline.
"We are not interested in any way in putting the pipeline under any
threat,"
Rusudan Medzmariashvili, head of British Petroleum's Public Affairs
Office
in Tbilisi, was quoted by local media. "BP used only the
highest-standard
technologies."
The BP official said the cracks will not cause leaks.
"Our experts explained to us that the number and size of the cracks is
such
that it cannot cause leaks," Medzmariashvili added.
Other firms involved in the project would have known about the cracks.
"Besides, apart from the experts whom we hired, both domestic and
foreign
experts monitored the oil pipeline construction process," he said.
"Countless groups are working, international financial institutions are
also
involved that invested quite significant sums in this project. The oil
pipeline has been built according to international standards and is
absolutely safe."
The report produced showed cracks appearing in 26 percent of the
sections of
the Georgian section of the pipeline.
Rod Hensman, BP's senior project engineer, said in July 2002, territory
in
Georgia and Azerbaijan was being used as a "testing ground for new
materials." He added: "We should not be a testing ground for new
materials."
BP and its contractor are still assessing who should be held responsible
for
the delays in the construction process that were caused by the
appearance of
the cracks.
The Georgian government and BP plan to hold a ceremony on Oct. 12 to
celebrate the completion of the Georgian section of the oil pipeline.
Construction for the remaining Georgian section of the pipeline is
scheduled
for Oct. 12 but BP may not be able to repair the mistakes by then,
according
to Azeri media reports.
On Nov. 15, the first tanker will receive its oil from the
Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli deposits at the seaport town of Ceyhan in Turkey.
The contractor expressed an interest to initiate a legal action against
BP.
<http://www.wpherald.com/storyview.php?StoryID=3D20050921-041047-5793r>
http://www.wpherald.com/storyview.php?StoryID=3D20050921-041047-5793r
NEWS FROM AZERBAIJAN
70 Complaints have been Received on the <Hot Line> of Ministry of
Ecology
and Natural resources, For over 5 Months of This Year
Source: State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, September
3,
2005
70 complaints related with environment damages, infringements of the
ecological legislation have been received on the <hot line> of the
Ministry
of ecology and natural resources, from April to August of this year. As
AzerTaj correspondent learned in the press-service of the Ministry, most
complaints are connected with the cutting in various parts of city,
also,
with environmental contamination with chemical substances and household
waste. Among the applications, the overwhelming majority concerned the
facts
of sand export from the Caspian Coast.
Consequently, the ministry employees carried out the investigation and
the
concrete decisions were made.
CONSTRUCTION OF AZERBAIJANI PART OF SCP TO BE COMPLETED IN 2005
Source: State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, September
4,
2005
The overall South Caucasus Pipeline (SCP) project's Azerbaijani part is
about 70 per cent complete, AzerTAj correspondent told by the BP
press-service.
To date the constructors had strung 398 km of pipe, welded 330 km in
Azerbaijani sector and filled up 310 km, said press-service. They also
completed the Kura West tunnel pullback and the SCP Azerbaijani pipeline
is
scheduled to be completed in the fourth quarter of the current year.
Meanwhile, the Georgian off take is 56 percent complete. There are
strung
225 km of pipe, welded 197 km and backfilled 119 km of pipe.
BP SOCIAL INVESTMENT PROGRAMME UNDERWAY
Source: State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, September
5,
2005
Implementation of a $1mln 736 thousand-social investment programme,
covering
the Baku-Tbilisi Ceyhan Oil pipeline and South Caucasus Gas Pipeline, is
scheduled for 2005, spokesman of BP Azerbaijan said.
To date of the total capital expenditures the project, aimed at solving
of
social problems of the people, living in the pipelines vicinities and
developing of small and medium business, has spent some $1 mln 109
thousand.
HEALTH MINISTRY OF AZERBAIJAN: "THERE WAS NEVER BACTERIOLOGICAL WEAPON
IN
AZERBAIJAN"
Source: State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, September
7,
2005
Health Ministry of the Azerbaijan Republic is rather surprised upon the
information disseminated in mass media on allegedly presentation by
Azerbaijan to the United States of the samples of bacteriological
weapon,
the Ministry's spokesman told AzerTAg.
The Ministry officially states that there has been neither in the soviet
period nor in the independence years bacteriological weapon in
Azerbaijan
and it never will be. The samples sent to the USA, are part of the
scientific researches carried out in the frame of biological safety
program,
which, according to the American experts, are at high level in the
Republic,
the Ministry said.
These samplers are viruses of the especially dangerous infectious
diseases
existing for many years in the territory of Azerbaijan and their
parasites,
as well as copies of the anti-plague microbes received from the
environment
objects, which are to be investigated on the molecular-genetic level.
And
this is to obtain the genetic structure and define peculiarities of the
microorganisms.
This is done for exclusive interests of the country. It allows to timely
defining disease bacteria, to put right diagnosis and organizing
epidemiological control. Besides, it promotes to immediately determine
alien
infections during the bio-terrors.
Azerbaijan cooperates with the United States in combat against
terrorism,
including biological terrorism, and thus, demonstrates its adherence to
the
democratic values and principles, the Ministry states.
THE LABORATORY OF WATER QUALITY CONTROL with MODERN EQUIPMENT
Source: State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan >,
September,
12, 2005
The ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, within the framework
of
monitoring programs on studying water in the transboundary rivers, has
equipped the laboratory of water quality control recently opened in
Gazah
with modern equipment. As the AzerTaj correspondent learned in the
press-service of the ministry, the main activity of the first regional
level
laboratory, will be estimation of the water quality, the level of
chemical
contents in waters of Kura, Araks, Aghstafa, Gabyrry and others
transboundary rivers, flowing from the territory of Georgia and Armenia,
also contamination of air and soil. The results of the laboratory survey
will inform the international public who is engaged in deliberate
dumping of
various chemicals in these rivers.
Three times a day, the water parameters will be checked and the results
will
be sent to the Ministry of Health, joint-stock company "Azersu", to
water
consumers, various state bodies, representatives of international
organizations, and also to the adjacent countries.
In unveiling ceremony of the laboratory participated Minister of
Environment
and Natural Resources Husseingulu Bagirov, chief of executive government
of
Gazah District Rauf Husseynov and the representatives of press.
The ministry also informed that the activation the of similar
laboratories
is expected in the nearest future, in a number of boundary districts, in
Nahchyvan Autonomous Republic and in Beylyagan district.
AZERBAIJAN TO CELEBRATE WORLD TOURISM DAY
Source: State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, September
13,
2005
Within the frameworks of the World Tourism Day, an exhibition dealing
with
domestic tourism will be held in Baku October 1. Over 50 travel agencies
and
hotel owners will take part in the exhibition to be held at the Baku
Business Center, AzerTAg correspondent was told at the tourism
department of
the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Tourism.
In accordance with the World Tourism Organization's decision, World
Tourism
Day will be solemnly marked in Cyprus. Azerbaijani delegation led by
Minister Abulfaz Garayev will also attend the festivities.
NATURE UNDER PROTECTION
Source: Newspaper "Mirror", September 23, 2005
It's with this purpose; foundation will be created on Southern Caucasus
Journalist L. Malahova informs about this in the "Mirror" newspaper.
Many
countries of the world now face the environment conservation problem.
With
the purpose of overcoming global problems, various international
organizations are being established. One of them is the World Wildlife
Foundation (WWF), established in 1961. Its logo is panda, because the
founders of WWF believed the image of this good-natured animal requiring
protection will be a fine symbol of the international organization the
mission of which is to stop the growing environment degradation, to
achieve
the harmony between human and nature.
WWF operates in many countries of the world, but special attention is
devoted to the developing countries and the countries with transitive
economy. The matter is that ecosystems, especially important for the
preservation of ecological balance on the Earth, are especially
vulnerable
in these states. The basic strategy of WWF is the consolidation of the
efforts of business, the third sector and local communities for the
joint
solution of environmental problems. WWF priorities is the preservation
of
extincting animals species, and the conservation of the habitats in
ecological regions. Besides, many WWF programs are to protect forests,
to
reduce negative ecological effect from illegal cutting, pollution,
climate
changes, forest fires, and etc.
WWF is financed through donations from private persons and corporations,
grants from governmental bodies and private funds. WWF Network consists
of
two International Offices in Switzerland and USA, and also from the
national
offices located in 27 countries. Offices in industrially developed
countries
are engaged in strategic planning and coordination of projects to be
implemented in developing countries and the countries with transitive
economy.
Initiatives and independence of national offices if they do not
contradict
the basic WWF strategy are appreciated. The work in the countries should
be
carried out in conformity with the specific aspects of local ecological
situation.
Our country could not avoid environmental problems; many reserves and
national parks of Azerbaijan require protection. It is clear that our
republic cannot cope with the current problems alone, Support of such
international organization as WWF, in this case, is hardly to be
overestimated.
Yesterday, took place the presentation of the project on International
Trust
Foundation establishment on the territory of the Southern Caucasus'
states,
including Azerbaijan. Taleh Shamchiyev, Director of WWF Cau PO -
Azerbaijan,
Elshad Askerov, his Assistant, and representatives of some national
nongovernmental organizations, and also mass-media participated in the
action.
Let us mention that on June 16, 2004 the meeting was held between
international organizations experts, such, as OSCE and the United
Nations
with representatives of some ministries and departments of Azerbaijan.
At
the meeting was discussed the issues of the establishment of ITF for the
long-term financial support of environmental priorities on Southern
Caucasus.
Yesterday, conversation was about the implementation of this project.
According to Mr. Shamchieva, the main principles of ITF will be
transparency
and objectivity. As he said, today there is the necessity of financial
support of the environment protection in our country, as the means are
allocated only for national parks and reserves of Azerbaijan. However,
also
these means are not sufficient, as they cover only 16-17% of the
necessary
amount.
"For the normal functioning of reserves, Azerbaijan requires annual
1,637
thousand US dollars. However, only 274 thousand dollars from the budget
are
allocated. There are 3 kinds of TFs working in 40 countries of the
world.
Basically, they exist due to the help of donors. First type of Trust
Foundation is functioning due to the accruals from bank deposit. In this
case, only dividends are spent for territory protection. Second variant
of
foundation spends sum allocated by donors not at once but in parts.
Third
type of Trust Foundation exists due to taxes. For example, each
passenger
who arrived in one of South American countries, which exists on the
expense
of tourism, should pay the tax at the rate of eight dollars. Over a
year,
this amount goes up to some millions dollars to be then spent for
environment protection. In Azerbaijan, it's currently impossible to
establish similar type of TF, Mr. Shamchiev commented.
In his words, the establishment of national TF in Azerbaijan is not
planned
for the nearest future. Mr. Shamchiev emphasized that there had been
many TF
variants discussed, and the developers eventually chose the one that
seems
most comprehensible for Transcaucasia. According to it, the general TF,
common for all of the three republics of Transcaucasia will be
established,
with technical office in Tbilisi. Its Board of Directors will be placed
outside the territory of Southern Caucasus; it will include one
representative of each of the donor organizations, WWF, EBRD, KFWf of
Germany, Conservation International, and two more donors. This Council
will
decide on what money spent will be, while the Ministry of ecology and
natural resources and various NGOs will be giving advices on this issue.
Mr. Shamchiev assured the audience that all means to come into ITF, will
be
spent only for the needs of protected territories. Besides, as he said,
these means will have nothing to do with the means allocated from State
budget for these purposes.
E.Askerov noted, in his turn that after the ITF is established, the
investment of base capitals is necessary. Norwegian Government is
expected
to get possibly involved. In three states of Southern Caucasus, for the
protection of fifty priority zones, about 2 million dollars a year are
necessary. According to Mr. Askerova, the final legal side of the ITF
requires three or four months more.
"SHAHDENIZ" PROJECT ACTIVITIES PROGRESSING AHEAD OF SCHEDULE
Source: State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, September
26,
2005
The construction works for the "Shahdeniz" project are 55 percent
complete.
The works are progressing 6 percent ahead of schedule.
With four production wells drilled in the field one more test hole is to
be
drilled. The platform will include 1 jacket and 12 wells. The
construction
of the "Shahdeniz" part of the Sangachal terminal is timetabled to
complete
in September 2006. The mechanical works are to be completed in the first
quarter of this year. Then, work plan will shift to testing "Shahdeniz"
gas
facilities.
The reserves in the "Shahdeniz" are estimated at 1 trillion cubic meters
of
gas and 200 million tons of condensate. The first gas will be delivered
to
the world markets by the end of the year.
NEWS FROM ARMENIA
IMF: the Armenian program of poverty reduction can become an example for
other countries
Source: йA Regnum, September 5, 2005
September, 5, President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan received Head of the
Yerevan Office of IMF Hassan Al trash.
As IA Regnum learned in the press-service of the Head of Armenia, the
parties had discussed the cooperation issues and economic reforms. In
particular, Robert Kocharyan noted that Armenia is consistently
realizing
reforms, and the work had already yielded some essential results.
In his turn, Hassan Al Atrash appreciated the process of the reforms and
their results, having noted that this estimates will be listed in the
report
on Armenia. As he said, the poverty reduction program may become an
example
for other countries. Hassan Al Atrash also appreciated the work in the
sphere of the regulation of budgetary processes and credit policy,
carried
out by the country.
Basin of Lake Arpi to Become National Park
Source: ARMENPRESS, September 7, 2005
The basin of Lake Arpi and Akhurian River, situated in the Ashotzk
mountains, close to the borders with Turkey and Georgia, approximately
110
km northwest of the city of Yerevan, in northwestern Armenia will be
turned
into a national park.
Financial aid is expected from Germany to launch the first phase of this
program that was supposed to kick off three years ago, but was delayed
due
to lack of money. The project will be started next year with support to
come
from the government.
Lake Arpi is a natural wetland of botanical importance, although the
water
level has been raised by an artificial dam. It supports several plant
species which are rare in Armenia. The lake is fed by several small
rivers,
springs and melt-water, and freezes over during the winter months.
FORESTS IN ARZNI AND NUBARASHEN RESTORED
Source: ARMINFO, September 7, 2005
The Forests Restoration and Development Fund of Armenian jointly with
the
Armenian Agricultural Ministry has elaborated two programs on
restoration of
forests in Arzni and Nubarashen. Executive Director of FRDF Vladimir
Movsisyan made this statement at a discussion at the Armenian Government
today.
He said design and calculation documents on restoration of forests in
the
given zones have already been prepared. Thus, restoration of the forests
in
Arzni will require 171 million 48 thousand AMD, those in Nubarashen - 92
million 593 thousand AMD. Movsisyan said construction of a pumping
stations,
power substations and electric lines is over. He said the fund has
fulfilled
all the programs planned for the first half of 2005 on the whole.
Movsisyan
said forests are restored mainly on the charitable funds. Thus, Yerevan
Brandy Company finances a program on restoration of forests in the
community
of Jrambar, Aragatsotn region. The program'' implementation will require
8
million 850 thousand AMD, Movsisyan said. Besides, he said in the first
half
of 2005, the fund received a 17 million 760 thousand AMD financial
charitable assistance. He said expenses for the fund's staff have been
considerably reduced, that is 7 million 574 thousand AMD instead of the
planed 13 million 728 thousand AMD. Executive Director said the fund
provided 5 million AMD to the "Green Country" organization for
beautification of the territories nearing highways.
In his turn, Vice mayor of Yerevan Kamo Areyan said as of September 5
2005,
the proceeds from the auction sale of the funds of Nork forests were 857
million 677.5 thousand AMD. 171 million 400 thousand AMD of the sum were
transferred to the Ministry of Agriculture for financing of programs of
restoration of forests.
Germany Allocates 2.2 Million EUR to Armenia for Implementation of
Project
"Bio-Diversity and Nature Protection in South Caucasus Region"
Source: ARMINFO, September 9, 2005
German Government has approved 2.2 million EUR to Armenia for
implementation
of a program "Bio-diversity in the South-West of Armenia" and
"Protection of
bio-diversity in Javakheti through transboundary cooperation."
A relevant agreement was signed today by Ministry of Nature Protection
of
Armenia Vardan Ayvazyan and Representative of German KfW bank in Armenia
Karapet Gevorgyan. The programs are designed for 30-50 years under a
regional project "Protection of bio-diversity and nature in the South
Caucasus region." Minister Aycazyan said the programs aim prevention of
conflict situations at transboundary Armenian-Georgian territories and
planning of joint measures on protection of environment in Javakhk
plateau.
Under the projects, a National Park Arpi will be developed which will
embrace Lake Arpi with its drained basin, brooks and water reservoirs
near
the villages of Ardenis, Akhuryan, and those near Stepanavan-Tashir
highway.
The park will occupy a territory of 74 ha and will be divided into three
protected zones: reserved territories, on protection of ecological
system
and on stable development of the park's territories.
The territory of the park Arpi is bordering Georgia and Turkey and
located
not far from large populated areas in Armenia. Local residents having
mass
social and economic problems will be attracted to implementation of the
project of National Park. Some 70 jobs will be opened for local
residents
there, the minister said. Under the projects, scientific research will
be
carried out for possible creation of reserved territories in waterlogged
areas to protect water- marsh flora and fauna.
KfW Representative said the regional program was provided to the
Georgian
Azerbaijani parties as well, however Azerbaijan has not considered it so
far; and in Georgia the government has recently approved the project
"Protection of bio-diversity and nature in the South Caucasus region."
Factually, implementation of the given ecological program for the South
Caucasus has started in Armenia, Gevorgyan said. He added that one of
the
most important details of the project is solution to social problems of
the
population in bordering regions, taking into account the conflict
between
Armenia and Azerbaijan. "Each time when CE member-states propose joint
programs to the South Caucasian three, political motives hinder their
implementation. However, the given program is necessary as nature has no
borders and it must be protected without any political conditional
characters," Gevorgyan said. The project office will be in Tbilisi for
three
years then the head office will be moved to the country that will show
the
most successful and effective implementation of the project. 0.3 million
EUR
is allocated to each country for project coordination under control of
KfW.
It should be noted that since 1993 the German Government has allocated
Armenia some 127 million EUR through the German bank KfW under various
programs in the sphere of energy, finances, water supply and ecology.
100
million EUR of the above sum were credits and the remaining were grants.
Economic Growth and Reduction of Poverty in Armenia?
Source: Ein News, September 9, 2005
According to the 2005 report about Human development, Armenia occupies
the
83rd place among the 177 countries in the world. The calculations of the
report have been made on the ground of the 2003 statistic facts and in
three
directions: education, life length and Gross output.
"Armenia has improved the index of the gross output to one person, the
education index is the same, and the health index has been corrected and
reduced a little", the report says.
Today in the Yerevan UN office the RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan
mentioned proudly that in comparison to our neighbors, Armenia has the
highest index, and in the CIS countries it takes the 5th place leaving
forward only Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan.
According to the Foreign Minister, One of the important preconditions of
development is that democracy must be an end in itself. Mr. Oskanyan was
not
able to explain clearly why the poverty index is not reduced alongside
with
the economic growth. <There are numerous reasons>, said the Minister.
The UN Permanent Coordinator to Armenia Consuelo Vidal reminded that in
2000
heads of 191 countries, including Armenia, signed the Millennium
Declaration
and took up the commitment to reach 8 aims till 2005 - poverty
reduction,
combat against illnesses and child deaths, environmental stability,
educational provision, as well as global cooperation.
According to Mrs. Vidal, the cooperation can be realized in three
directions: international aid, international commerce and security. In
answer to the journalists' question Consuelo Vidal mentioned that within
the
framework of the report Armenia cannot find the answers to his questions
about the international commerce field.
UNICEF's PARTNERSHIP WITH MILLENNIUM ARMENIAN CHILDREN'S VACCINATION
FUND
HELPS SAVE CHILDREN'S LIVES
Source: ARMENPRESS, September 19, 2005
Partnering with Armenian Diaspora organizations such as the Millennium
Armenian Children's Vaccination Fund (MACVF) is crucial for successful
implementation of programs benefiting children, UNICEF said today,
speaking
of the importance of the vaccination program in Armenia.
UNICEF values highly its partners in the Diaspora, and one of our most
important partnerships in Armenia is with the Millennium Armenian
Children's
Vaccination Fund. Financial support to UNICEF from MACVF has enabled us
to
procure essential vaccines for Armenian children and has helped to
sustain
the high immunization rate in the country," UNICEF Representative,
Sheldon
Yett noted.
UNICEF and the Millennium Armenian Children's Vaccination Fund sealed a
long-term partnership agreement in 2002 in order to support the
implementation of the National Immunization Program in Armenia. The
agreement covers the 2002-2009 period during which the Millennium
Armenian
Children's Vaccination Fund pledged to provide 500,000 USD for
procurement
of vaccines to prevent such deadly childhood diseases as measles, mumps,
rubella, tetanus and diphtheria.
MACVF has contributed over 100,000 USD to UNICEF to date. In 2005 alone,
MACVF funding has enabled the immunization of approximately 100,000
children
in Armenia against measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus and diphtheria. The
assistance provided by MACVF to children in Armenia is invaluable and
has
helped protect thousands of children from serious illness. Not only do
these
children benefit directly from the vaccinations, but immunization also
provides a mechanism through which health services can make contact with
children and women whom they need to reach with other interventions,
further
enhancing the value of immunizations.
"We will continue to strengthen our relationships with Armenian Diaspora
organizations and will seek their active involvement in the
implementation
of programs that contribute to the achievement of the Millennium
Development
Goals," UNICEF Representative Sheldon Yett stressed.
ARMENIA'S SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY DISCUSSED IN YEREVAN
Source: Pan Armenian News, September 20, 2005
Growth of Productivity and Competitive Ability: Strategy of Sustainable
Development of Armenia forum, organized by Armenia 2020, opened in
Yerevan
today. During the opening ceremony Armenian President's Advisor for
Economic
Issues Vahram Nersisyan read R. Kocharian's message to the forum
participants. His message specifically said, <Initiatives of the kind
are
useful to our country. We appreciate efforts of organizers, directors
and
project participants. Sustainable development of Armenia is our goal> NA
Speaker A. Baghdassaryan welcomed the forum participants on behalf of
the
Parliament. He noted that <strategic elaboration is available in all
fields
in Armenia> He noted light industry among the promising fields, adding
<a
business plan should be arranged to define the priority fields> It
should be
noted that the forum will discuss opportunities and prospects of
development
of individual sectors, specifically, IT, tourism, health and others.
Besides, the outcomes of the Approaches to the Future of Armenia
research,
held by Armenian and American sociologists will be analyzed. Program of
further actions is expected to be worked out resulting from the forum.
Over
350 Armenian and foreign large entrepreneurs, officials and NGO
representatives take part in the forum.
OSCE TO SUPPORT ARMENIA IN ECOLOGY INITIATIVES
Source: ARMINFO News Agency, September 23, 2005
"We and our Planet" educational and environmental program was presented
today at the Yerevan Museum of Armenia's Nature. The program has been
initiated and implemented by "Khazer" environmental and cultural NGO
with
the support of the OSCE Office in Yerevan and the Aarhus Center.
Within the project 10 brochures and 5 posters have been published in
2004 on
the following topics: the first betrayal against nature, climate change,
preservation of ozone layer, forest, water, biodiversity, persistent
organic
pollutants, fish and birds of Armenia, Lake Sevan problem, and
genetically
modified organisms. This year the publications were enriched by 6 new
posters and 4 brochures: our environment and the Aarhus Convention
specially
protected natural areas, earthquake protection, and alternative energy.
Head of "Khazer" NGO Amalia Hambartsumyan noted that the program has
been
implemented from 2003, 100 copies of 11 posters and 14 brochures have
been
published within this period 400 schools of general education have
already
received completes. The OSCE Office in Yerevan allotted $4.000 for
publishing the second completes, she noted.
Welcoming the activists of Armenia's ecological movement, Head of the
OSCE
Office in Yerevan Vladimir Pryakhin named the program the "family
holiday".
He stressed that "titanic efforts of ecological society do not go out in
Armenia until the people of this country live in harmony with nature".
Pryakhin also noted that the OSCE welcomes the ecological initiatives in
Armenia and will continue supporting them.
NGO NEWS
Meeting between the Journalist of Weekly Newspaper "Kviris Palitra"and
Local
Population of Bolnisi
On August 29, 2005 in Public Informational Center of Bolnisi the meeting
was
held between the journalist of the weekly newspaper "Kviris Palitra",
Zviad
Chakvetadze and citizens of Bolnisi. The meeting also attended
representatives of local NGOs, of various services, departments and
correspondent of the newspaper "Akhali Verisa" ("New Version").
In the republican and local newspapers articles, also in the TV programs
-
on "Rustavi -2" and "Imedi" ("Hope") was mentioned that Madneuli
pollutes
the river Mashavera and results are already detrimental. There is no
life in
the river.
Basing on the investigation that Mr. Z. Chakvetadeze had conducted and
on
the results of the laboratory survey of river Mashavera done by
hydrochemical laboratory of Hydrometeorological Department, Mr. Z.
Chakvetadeze confirms that water in the river is not polluted even is
good
for drinking and is not dangerous for health.
The aim of organized meeting was to rebut this article. To see the real
condition all the participant of this meeting visited the most polluted
area
and they convinced that the river is really polluted and that situation
is
detrimental.
In the conversation the inhabitants of the village Kazreti confirmed
that
Madneuli pollutes the river Mashavera and the results of the pollution
have
influence on the health of the population as well as on the local flora
and
fauna.
The journalists took interview from the local inhabitants and in the
nearest
future the articles on this theme will be issued.
Prepared by CENN
Public Informational Center of Bolnisi
Ecologists Care of Well-Being in Bakuriani To SAVE forests
Source: Newspapers "Caucasian Accent", September 1, 2005
Association of Hotels that is being established in Bakuriani, with the
assistance of environmental organization - Caucasus Environmental NGO
Network (CENN), may attract tourists, establish workplaces and save
forests
from mass illegal cutting.
- When we opened regional office in Bakuriani, our main purpose was to
give
the Internet access to Bakuriani residents, - says Kakha Bakhtadze,
Regional
Office Coordinator of non-governmental environmental organization CENN.
-
Then we, naturally, became interested of the environment problems, first
of
all, illegal deforestation.
It is obvious that simply indirections, without any attempt to changes
social background, without raising life standard of Bakuriani
inhabitants,
cutting will not be stopped. Then environmentalists from CENN seriously
contemplate what was exactly necessary to do? Evidently, once Bakuriani
is a
resort, it is necessary toattract tourists. But who should be engaged in
and
accountable for such activities in Bakuriani? Those who benefit from
these
activities, i.e. owners of numerous hotels. There are over hundred inns,
guest-houses and hotels in Bakuriani, all waiting a tourist boom; this
number is also constantly updated. Meanwhile, all of the owners operate
in
an isolated manner. Ping-pong tables or swimming pools, or some other
entertainments, once appeared in one hotel, are then gradually
copy-pasted
to all the other. The same picture everywhere. After all, it becomes
more
and more difficult for the tourists to select where to stay, when
practically there is no choice.
- With the help of our European colleagues we brought here a hotel
business
expert from German, - says Kakha Bakhtadze. - He arrived in Bakuriani,
performed the audit of the institutions and conducted some trainings for
inn-keepers, presented to them his recommendations on business
development.
Eventually, it was decided to establish Association of Bakuriani Hotels.
Only by the unification of their services inn-keepers will be able to
develop their business, to assist each other, to promote the prosperity
in
Bakuriani, to resolve numerous important problems, to attract tourists,
etc.
Meanwhile, they try to solve these problems alone and it id obvious that
there is no significant results.
One of priorities is to attract tourists from Armenia and Azerbaijan. I
am
confident that they won't say no to Bakuriani, either: this place is
unique,
for here it is possible to rest in any season.
As far as the attraction of tourists certainly contributes to the
improvement of social background, - says Kakha Bakhtadze, - we have
decided
to establish a tourist information center in Bakuriani. It will help
tourists to orientate themselves on-site.
At the same time the diversification of services is essential. For
example,
some hotels will be oriented on youth tourist and will offer all
respective
types of service and attributes, some will be family hotels, and so on.
By
the way, CENN Regional Office has recently published the Tourist Map of
Bakuriani showing basic hotels. It will sure assist tourists.
- It is should be mentioned that our organization does not intend at all
to
have a quota in hotel business, - marks Kakha Bakhtadze. - We only wish
to
support its development, since we are sure, that only serious
improvement of
the general social background can be the basis for environmental
protection.
So if a person works and earns enough, he or she will not get involved
in
cutting any more: having money enough, why one will cut and than sell
wood
or simply burn it in the oven? It will be much more favorable to
dedicate
this time to work.
CENN is sure that the Association will contribute not only the
development
this sort of business, establishment of new types of services,
attraction of
tourists, solve a number of actual problems, but also it will create a
number of work places.
Valiko Adamashvili, Gamgebeli of Bakuriani thinks that the establishment
of
Association of Bakuriani Hotels can really promote the growth of the
resort
and of the entire tourist infrastructure.
- Certainly, Gamgeoba and Association should tightly co-operate, to be
much
more effective - he says. - Especially now, when Gamgeoba have received
much
more rights and opportunities for real self-management, than it was
earlier,
before the revolution.
Besides, Valiko Adamashvili informed us about his plans on resort
development. In particular, Gamgeoba plans to establish sports school,
to
rehabilitate and reopen House of Culture, cinema. We are going to
deprive
many tenants of the land, in case they do not use them, use
inefficiently or
even illegally. Also, the waste management is a tangible problem in
Bakuriani, because of the absence of garbage bunkers, while a few of
existing bunkers are over flown. The urban water pipe requires serious
repair and upgrade.
A lot of the Bakuriani development plans are related to private
business.
So, one of the European companies is interested in the establishment of
big
and serious golf-club in Bakuriani where all conditions are available
for
this purpose. There are also mountain skiing development projects. There
are
a number of other proposals and prospects. It is enough to name the
proposal
to conduct winter Olympic Games Bakuriani-2014. But for this, still a
lot of
things have to be done.
As regards for cutting, Gamgebeli considers that only licensed entities
are
involved in this process. Certainly, it is hard to believe it, but
Valiko
Adamashvili adds, there is both legal and illegal felling in the area:
Those
some thousand cubic meter of timber on which felling licenses are
issued,
should be cut down. It is normal. But mainly trees are cut along the
roads,
including those should not be cut and that is not normal. In mountain
forests there are many trees which should be cut down, but they are
accessible for a very few people.
This is right: cut a little here and a little there, instead of making
enormous glades glades "decorated" with stubs. But it is no secret that
a
lot of unlicensed wood is also taken out from Bakuriani. For money
Bakuriani
residents destroy things after which all tourists come to Bakuriani.
Another problem is the Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline. The construction works
no
way promote the attraction of tourists. Certainly, will never compensate
their absence. Not mentioning even ecological aspects, it's enough to
imagine a small town over flown with heavy machinery, lorries and all
sorts
of special equipment. Besides, these cars destroy the roads, while it
requires the repair.
- We have brought upon this question and hope BP to finance the road
rehabilitation in Bakuriani, - Valiko Adamashvili stated.
It have been very recently that the special troops established for the
pipeline protection, held trainings on the unique sports stadium in
Bakuriani where children commonly play. The training - while the holiday
season!
- It was like turning back to the early 1990-ies, when "Mkhedrioni"
members
were up to senseless shooting in Bakuriani, and we were hiding in out
houses, - says Nana, inhabitant of Bakuriani,. - After all, it was
possible
to choose a better place than stadium to practice shooting.
Bakuriani residents are still waiting BP financing for some social
problem
solutions. But petrodollars can hardly become panacea.
However, the biggest problem in Bakuriani was not so much the shooting
at a
stadium, but rather the absence of electric power supply for several
months.
American power distribution company is active in Bakuriani over the
recent
year. Obviously, for this very reason they decided to squeeze out
everyone
from the area, using every ways and manners. First, they collected money
for
the electric power, in a very simple way - 10 GEL per family. After,
problems began. The communal electric meter had been installed, then the
tariff increased, and, eventually, the entire town was switched-off,
referring on the debt of Bakuriani equal to 100,000 GEL. At the same
time
all the employments in company regional office were changed and it
appeared
impossible to negotiate with them. Gamgeoba suggested to install
independent
meters. Representatives of the company declared they will simply never
take
into account these meters. Moreover, they added there would be no
electricity, until the debts are not completely covered. They started to
collect money. Some people gave 10 lari, some - 200 lari, and some -
1000.
As a result, they managed to collect about 40 thousand GEL, but ther is
still no electricity.
- They did not want to make any concessions, - Valiko Adamashvili says.
-
They only demanded the money for some unknown debts.
At last, the company agreed to give electricity. But in case of a
hundred-percent payment for the consumed electricity. Representatives of
the
company promised to switch-off the lights even if ten tetri is missing.
This
is, of cource, a verbal arrangement that do not contribute the salvation
of
problem. Hopes for the government, company's head office and important
persons were found fruitless. So to say, the drowning people had to
rescue
themselves.
- We should not repay only on gamgeoba, on foreigners or on our
government,
- Bakuriani residents believe. - There is a lot of problems we should
solve
by ourselves, all together.
It's left to hope that the establishment of Association of Hotels can
really
make some positive changes to general picture. Maybe, it will become a
symbol of the beginning of long-awaited changes to the best.
WWF Continues Leopard Protection Project in Syunik
Source: ARMENPRESS, September 5, 2005
Traces of three out of 10-12 leopards believed to live in Armenian
forests
are recorded in the southern province of Syunik. The total number of
leopards in the South Caucasus is 20-24, with another 10-12 in
Azerbaijan.
The number of leopards in Karabakh is estimated as 5-7 leopards
according to
the data provided by hunters.
Another habitat of the leopard in Armenia is Khosrov Reserve located in
the
central part of Armenia. This is a small territory and traces of leopard
viability are the evidence for the extinction of this group, but still
being
remained at the expense of high number of bezoar goat (Capra Aegagrus)
in
some of the gorges and relatively lower presence of man in the
mountains.
The leopard is included in the Red Data Book of Rare and Endangered
Species
(Red Book) in all countries of this region and in the UNEP-WCMC Database
on
Threatened Animals of the World.
It has been three years since the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) started a
special project for protection of leopards in Armenia. The leopard was
thought to have disappeared from the region in the 1960s, but absence of
special surveys until the end of 20th century did not allow to exactly
evaluate the leopard condition in the Ecoregion.
Recent rapid investigation conducted through WWF initial support in 2001
has
shown that about 20 individuals of leopard has survived in the Southern
Caucasus Nevertheless, situation with the leopard population in the
Caucasus
is critical, which is caused by the continuation of over hunting of
ungulates (bezoar goat, roe deer, wild boar, etc.) - primary prey
species,
and poaching of the leopard itself. The long-term goal of this project
is
conservation of the Caucasus leopard in its historical range in the
Ecoregion. As a result valuable leopard habitat and protected migratory
routes were set up.
NGOS MARK GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION AGAINST WASTE AND INCINERATION
Source: IISD Reporting Services, September 9, 2005
A group of NGOs has organized a week of awareness-raising activities on
waste issues. The network challenges governments to adopt and implement
policies that will prevent waste at source, reduce and eliminate toxics,
extend producer responsibility, promote sustainable consumption, and
intensify recycling and composting. The focus of the week's activities
was a
"Global Day of Action" against waste and incineration on 7 September
2005.
The international campaign, now in its fourth year, is coordinated by
the
Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (also known as the Global
Anti-Incinerator Alliance) or GAIA, a non-profit network of public
interest
groups and individuals.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
MEASURES OF STRUGGLE AGAINST CLIMATIC CHANGES WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE
REDUCTION OF ECONOMIC Loss
Source: "Eco-consent": Power and Climate News, September 1, 2005
14 500 natural accidents were globally registered from 1980 to 2004; as
a
result, one million persons were lost, and the subsequent economic
damage
totaled 1,450 billion Dollars. 25 % of damage falls on flooding, 22, 8 %
-
on earthquakes. As experts emphasized, as a result of climatic change
natural accidents have become not only more frequent, but also more
intensive. In the nearest future, as experts predict, especially great
losses natural cataclysms will bring to developing countries. As for
Europe,
they predicted strongest heat, floods, and also storms and hurricanes.
It is marked in the report of German Institute for Economic Studies that
if
the world community undertakes rapid and effective measures to combat
climatic changes, it will become possible to avoid the losses of 200,000
billion Dollars as economic damage from hurricanes, floods, droughts and
other natural cataclysms, before 2050.
Scientists consider necessary to carry out more active climate
protection
policy. Expenses for similar measures, according the calculations of the
Institute's economists, should total about one percent of the world
total
national product. It is necessary to essentially increase power
efficiency,
by mid-century and to lower emissions of carbon dioxide into the
atmosphere.
For this purpose, in the opinion of German scientists, it is necessary
to
use also such market tools as international emission trade or to
introduce
the uniform tax, at a rate of up to 100 Dollars per one ton of carbon.
US Eases Air Pollution Rule to Boost Fuel Supply
Source: Planet ark, September 1, 2005
Washington - To make more fuel available in the wake of Hurricane
Katrina,
the Bush administration said on Wednesday it will waive certain air
pollution regulations for gasoline and diesel in all 50 states.
The temporary easing of regulations will end on Sept. 15, said Stephen
Johnson, head of the Environmental Protection Agency.
"This action will result in an immediate increase in fuel supply. These
waivers are necessary to ensure that fuel is available throughout the
country," Johnson told reporters.
The waivers will allow gasoline with higher evaporation rates and diesel
fuel with a higher sulfur content to be sold.
Gasoline futures traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange rose sharply
on
Wednesday to a record high of $2.90 a gallon on growing concerns about
the
US supply.
Katrina's powerful winds and flooding shut nine Gulf Coast refineries
with
combined capacity of nearly 2 million barrels per day (bpd). Four others
were running at reduced rates and two major Gulf Coast pipelines that
ship
gasoline to northern markets were closed.
The EPA late on Tuesday said it would temporarily permit refineries in
Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee to supply gasoline meeting a
Reid Vapor Pressure standard of 9.0 and diesel with sulfur content
higher
than 500 parts per million.
On Wednesday, the waiver was extended to the remaining 46 US states,
Johnson
said.
The policy change will allow more imports of high-sulfur diesel into the
US
market.
Refiners will also be able immediately to sell gasoline intended for use
in
the autumn and winter, when pollution caused by hotter weather is
normally
not a problem.
Retail gasoline prices have shot up across the country due to the fuel
supply disruptions caused by Katrina.
However, Rep. Joe Barton of Texas, the chairman of the House Energy and
Commerce Committee, said on Wednesday he believed some service stations
were
gouging consumers at the pump.
The Bush administration is planning to loan crude oil to refineries from
the
nation's emergency crude stockpile to help boost available gasoline and
other petroleum product supplies.
The government does not have a stockpile of gasoline.
EU to Help Tackles Greenhouse Gas Emission
Source: Planet Ark, September 6, 2005
The European Union agreed on Monday to give China the technology for a
coal-fired power station designed to combat global warming as part of a
wider accord on energy issues and climate change
The clean coal-power plant will employ carbon capture and storage
technology
through which the coal plant can capture its own emissions of the
greenhouse
gas carbon dioxide (CO2), burying them in porous rock underground for
long-term storage.
The offer, announced at an EU-China summit, comes as developed nations
seek
to engage emerging market powerhouses like China and India in global
moves
to stem climate change.
Industrialized countries fear that efforts to reduce their own
greenhouse
gas emissions will be undermined by rising emissions from developing
countries.
The agreement "will include cooperation on the development, deployment
and
transfer of low carbon technology, including advanced
near-zero-emissions
coal technology through carbon capture and storage", read a joint
EU-China
statement.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair, at the summit in Beijing because his
country holds the rotating EU presidency, has made climate change a
priority
for this year, when London also presides over the Group of Eight rich
nations.
Blair said China would participate in a "dialogue" between countries on
climate change. Blair will also seek to engage India in the global
warming
debate at an EU-India summit in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Environmental group WWF hailed the agreement.
"It is a very welcome signal that both China and the EU recognize
climate
change as a key geopolitical issue and are ready to take concrete action
to
reduce its threats," said Jennifer Morgan, Director of the global WWF
Climate Change Programme, in a statement.
"Unlike the recent Asia-Pacific Pact with the United States and other
countries, this agreement includes policies, markets and technologies,
which
should lead to real and significant action."
Some activists say the six-nation Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean
Development and Climate, which was announced in July, had hazy targets
and
could be a distraction attempt ahead of UN talks in November that will
focus
on widening the environmental agreement known as the Kyoto Protocol past
2012.
Coal is China's main energy source, satisfying 75 percent of the
country's
energy needs, said Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao at the summit.
An EU-China partnership on climate change was set up at the summit that
will
lead to cooperation on technology and ongoing discussions on tackling
global
warming, the statement said.
UN agencies team up to promote eco-friendly, development-oriented
tourism
Source: UN Dispatch, September 7, 2005
With massive growth in tourism predicted in the coming years, two United
Nations agencies have teamed up to produce a set of guidelines to help
governments around the world to promote a sustainable tourism that
spreads
prosperity while avoiding harm to the environment and local communities.
For the first time, the UN World Tourism Organization (WTO
<http://www.world-tourism.org/> http://www.world-tourism.org/) and the
UN
Environment Programme ((UNEP <http://www.unep.org/>
http://www.unep.org/)
have combined
(http://www.world-tourism.org/newsroom/R eleases/2005/September/newguide.htm)
their efforts to condense all aspects of the sustainability of tourism
into
a single publication, Making Tourism More Sustainable: a Guide for
Policy
Makers.
The Guide is a basic reference book that aims to provide tourism
decision
makers with a framework for developing policies for more sustainable
tourism, a toolbox of instruments that they can use to implement these
policies, and some selected case studies.
"According to how it will be planned, developed and managed, the massive
growth predicted for tourism in the forthcoming years could provide
excellent opportunities for spreading prosperity but could also
represent
considerable challenges and potential threats to the environment and
local
communities," the two agencies said in a news release.
"For instance, climate change is recognized as a major global issue,
with
significant implications for tourism. Similarly, sustainable forms of
tourism can be strategically important for preserving delicate
ecosystems
and biodiversity, providing a sustainable form of economic use as
opposed to
more aggressive industrial activities."
They also noted the increasing appreciation of the potential role of
tourism
in addressing world poverty, through bringing a source of income to the
heart of some of the poorest communities.
The Guide sets out a list of 12 aims for more sustainable tourism,
presents
the structures through which governments can work with others, deals
with
developing a strategy that embraces sustainability, including product
and
market selection, and lays out a set of instruments to be applied by
governments, including sustainability indicators, planning,
infrastructure,
legislation and regulations.
EU bio-fuel target incompatible with biodiversity targets
Source: Eco-Portal News, 12 September, 2005
Delegates at last week's European Conference on Climate Change and
Biodiversity, organized in Oxfordshire by English Nature, were told that
the
EU's target of 5.75% bio-fuels for transport by 2010 was incompatible
with
the EU's concurrent targets for the preservation of disappearing
species,
and that there is not enough land to achieve the target without
converting
productive farmland to biomass production.
Konrad Ott of the German Advisory Council on the Environment told the
conference, "the most pressing conflicts are between biomass production
and
nature conservation". The German body concluded that in the UK, Belgium
and
Germany, far more environmental gains would be made by reducing the size
of
car engines than by producing fuels from crops.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE STRATEGIC APPROACH TO THE INTERNATIONAL REGULATION OF
CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES COMES TO THE END
Source: News of <Eco-consent" on упъ, on September, 20th, 2005
On September 19, 2005, third and the final session of Preparatory
Committee
on Strategic Approach on International Regulation of Chemicals (SAIRC -
урнтич)opened in Vienna. Addressing to its opening, Klaus
Topfer, Executive
Director of UNEP, lauded the importance of the development process of
this
document.
He emphasized the necessity of the integration of basic SAIRC approaches
with the state strategy and development programs. Klaus Topfer expressed
the
hope that forthcoming International conference on chemical regulation
which
will take place in February, 2006, in Dubai, and for which the signing
of
SAIRC is scheduled, will become a high level conference, with the
participation of ministers of the countries, representatives of the
international and non-governmental organizations, every activists in the
development of this basic international document.
Chairman of Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (IFCS -
нжи) said
that SAIRC strategy includes such imoprtant sections as Global Plan of
Action including some specific necessary actions for the realization of
SAIRC. He expressed the wish to consider the experience of various
international programs (like Programme of Combatting AIDS, Malaria and
Tuberculosis; the programme attartcted 5 billion US dollars over three
years), upon the development and performance of SAIRC.
Representatives of various international organizations - PROUN, UNIDO,
UNITAR expressed the readiness actively participate in SAIRC. So, for
example, for last 15 years UNITAR has developed the methodology, and it
is
co-operating with many countries in capacity building, in the field of
regulation of chemicals, at a national level.
UNITAR Representative stressed the importance of the full member
participation of chemical industry and civil society in the performance
of
the regulation of chemical substances.
30 NGO Representatives participated in the session of the third
Preparatory
Committee - members of the International network on упъ
liquidation
(International POPs Elimination Network - IPEN), including NGOs from
Armenia, Belarus and Russia. Prior to the meeting in Vienna, IPEN had
prepared the comments for all three sections on SAIRC, certainly, on the
project General Programme Strategy section, on the project of the
declaration at a high level and the project on Global Plan of Action.
(News
of "Eco-consent" on упъ from 14 and August, 30, 2005З.). IPEN
comments in
Russian are available at the website of "Eco-consent":
http://accord.cis.lead.org
comments In English are available at the IPEN website:
URL: http://www.ipen.org
For the additional information, apply to:
Olga Speranskaya
"Eco-consent"
E-mail: [email protected]
Elena Manvelyan
Armenian Women for Health and Healthy Environment,
E-mail [email protected]
Evgenie Lobanov
Fund for Realization of Ideas
E-mail [email protected]
EU to Re-Launch Air Quality Initiative with Changes
Source: Planet Ark, September 21, 2005
Brussels - The European Commission will re-launch a package of measures
on
Wednesday aimed at improving air quality after cutting anticipated
annual
costs by about 5 billion euros ($6.08 billion), according to EU
officials.
The measures, which include new proposals for legislation, are expected
to
cost 7.1 billion euros a year once they are fully implemented from 2020,
one
official said.
That figure is down from previous cost estimates of 12 billion euros a
year.
Health benefits would be worth five or six times the costs -- as much as
45
billion euros annually -- said another official, who declined to be
named
ahead of the Commission's decision on the measures on Wednesday.
In July, the Commission shelved the air quality plans along with six
other
initiatives on marine protection, waste, soil, pesticides, natural
resources
and urban environmental management to have a general debate on the
environment.
The air quality measures, which were criticized for being too costly,
were
then revamped to reduce the cost. An official said the changes slashed
mainly environmental measures like reducing ozone pollution and kept in
place the aspects that were more related to human health.
The Commission says 370,000 people die prematurely every year as a
result of
poor air quality. The measures aim to bring that figure down to 230,000
by
2020. That represents a roughly 40 percent drop from levels in 2000.
"This strategy basically tries to take all the sources that exist that
compromise air quality and tries to set some limit values for 2020," one
official said, adding the limits would affect sectors like transport,
agriculture, and households, all of which would bear some of the related
costs.
NATIONAL REPORTS ON RAMSAR CONVENTIONS
Source: "Eco-consent" , September, 23, 2005
States-parties of the Convention should present the national reports
describing the achievements and difficulties in the performance of the
Ramsar Convention for the 9-th Conference of Parties of the Ramsar
Convention on Wetlands to occur in Kampala, Uganda, November, 8-15,
2005,
the.
The prepared national reports are exposed at the web-site of the Ramsar
Convention: http://ramsar.org/cop9/cop9_natlrpts_index.htm. In
particular,
there are presented the reports of the following Independent States:
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Republic of Moldova,
the
Russian Federation, Ukraine.
NEW PUBLICATIONS
Collection on Environmental Law
Source: Environmental Public Advocacy Center (EPAC), September 7, 2005
Development of the human society in the twenty-first century is supposed
to
be accompanied by the increasing role of the environment. Meanwhile, the
more human beings want to extract from nature, thereby violating the
ecological balance, the fewer chances nature and its components have to
recover. Ecological crisis as a violation of the balance of ecological
systems and the relationship of humans and nature is a matter of concern
worldwide.
Law, as a regulator of the relationship between society and nature, is
one
of the means to recover ecological balance. The necessity of securing a
healthy environment that supports human welfare and sustainable and
ecologically sound development is stated as a principle in many
international legal documents. Adequate protection of the environment
is
needed to carry out basic human rights, including the right to life. "In
the
matters concerning the environment improved access to information and
public
participation in decision-making process enhance the quality and
implementation of decisions, contribute to public awareness of
environmental
issues, give the public the opportunity to express its concerns and
enable
the public authorities to take due account of such concerns." ("Aarhus
Convention on Access to Justice, Public Participation in Decision-making
Process and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters". It was signed
by
Armenia in 1998 and ratified on 14. 05.2001 and as the 16th country
ratifying it, Armenia contributed to its coming into force).
Therefore, dissemination of information about environmental law will
contribute to ecological enlightenment, rising of the public ecological-
legal culture, the involvement of the public in the decision-making
process
and implementation of legislative requirements, which, in its turn, will
contribute to the rule of law and building of civil society.
The collection does not claim to embrace all of what is known as
environmental legislation or environmental protection legislation. This
is,
however, an attempt to fill the existing gap in Armenia and it is
supposed
to increase public awareness of law, in general and environmental law,
in
particular.
The collection is meant for a wide range of readers- scientists, state
servants, students, public, staff of the law machinery, judicial system
and
all those who are interested in the issues of functioning of
environmental
law.
Aida Iskoyan
President of the Environmental
Public Advocacy Center (EPAC)
CALENDAR (INTERNATIONAL)
SEMINAR ON ECOLOGICAL SERVICES AND FINANCING FOR THE BENEFIT OF
SUSTAINABLE
USE AND PROTECTION OF ECOSYSTEMS
Source: "Eco-Soglasie" ("Eco-Consent"), September 9, 2005
Seminar on Ecological Services and Financing of Sustainable Use and
Protection of Ecosystems will take place in Geneva, October, 10-11,
2005,
under the aegis of the European Economic Commission of the United
Nations,
within the framework of Helsinki Convention on the protection and use of
transboundary water-currents and international lakes.
At its 13-th session in April, 2005 the Commission on sustainable
development made a decision that the services the ecosystems provide are
of
great value for people, especially in the context of complex water
resource
management. The Commission called for the promotion of ecosystem
stability,
providing the major resources and services for people and economic
activities, and also to the development of innovative methods of
financing
of protection activities. These issues were discussed at the seminar in
Geneva.
The seminar will promote the development of specific joint actions at
the
international, regional, transboundary, national and local levels and
will
specifically contribute to the preparation of the Ninth Session of the
Conference of the Contract Parties of Ramsar Convention on Wetland, 1971
(Kampala, Uganda, November, 8-15, 2005).
The seminar will discuss three main topics:
A. Assessment of the services provided by ecosystems;
B. Legal and contractual aspects;
C. Realization related Problems.
Each topic will be presented in one or more reports on key problems. At
the
end of the seminar participants will make conclusions and
recommendations.
Representatives of the Helsinki Convention Parties, states-members of
the
United Nations, governmental and non-governmental organizations,
including
civil society and business circles can participate in the seminar.
Participation is free. Thus it is supposed, that participants will pay
travel, accommodation and catering charges.
The government of Switzerland, the leader of this measure, considers
certain
financial support to experts from the countries with transitive economy
provided that these participants present national reports, discussion
materials or will act with reports on key problems. Request for
financial
assistance should be sent no later than September 15, 2005.
Additional information on Seminar on Ecological Services and Financing
of
Sustainable Use and Protection of Ecosystems can be found at:
http://www.unece.org/env/water/meetings/payment_ecosystems/seminar.htm
Contact information:
Francesca Bernardini
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Convention on the
Protection
and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes
E-mail: [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>
CONFERENCE ON PACKING WASTE
Source: "Eco-consent" >, September, 25, 2005
On November 2, 2005 at 10.00 AM, the Congress-center of Commercial and
industrial chamber of the Russian Federation (Ilyinka Street6, Moscow)
takes place the Third International scientifically-practical conference
"Management of Packing Waste: Impact on Economy and Environment.
European
and Russian Experience ".
The conference is organized by: Subcommittee of Packing Industry
Development
of TPP Committee of the Russian Federation on Industrial Development and
High Technologies, Association of Assistance to the International
Exchange
to Nature Protection Technologies (ITUT, Germany).
Representatives of the largest European organizations from many
countries of
Europe engaged in packing and household waste management will take part
in
the conference, also representatives of the Russian ministries,
departments,
profile committees of the State Duma, Council of Federation of the
Russian
Federation, committees TPP of the Russian Federation, associations of
businessmen, territorial TPP, enterprises and organizations engaged in
household waste problem-solution in Russia, scientists, journalists,
mass-media.
Participants of the conference will consider the following issues:
management and utilization of packigig wastes in Europe and Russia;
modern
status and prospects of the development of the legislation in the sphere
of
packing and packing waste in Russia, experience of the certain Russian
and
foreign enterprises and the organizations of gathering, processing and
recycling of packing and household waste. The Participants will
elaborate
recommendations to government bodies and business community.
The participation in conference is free-of-charge.
Concerning participation, and also for additional information it is
necessary to apply to
Subcommittee TPP on Development of Packing Industry of the Russian
Federation
Tel/fax: +7(095) 203-93-33; 291-34-21
E-mail:[email protected]
Contact persons: Rumyantseva Nora Alexandrovna, Smotryaev Evgenie
Anatolievich.
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